Past The Point Of No Return
by Agent Five
Summary: Following the events in Crossfire. The shattered pieces of IR have been put back together, albeit not how they once were. But for John, it might just be too late.
1. Chapter 1

_So the saga continues! Only this time some of the subject material will be a little darker as the family recover - or not, as the case may be._

_Oh, and the usual disclaimer. _

* * *

It was early. Or was it late? Having been up all night and not closed his eyes for a second, it was hard to tell. Time had blended into a hazy image of something familiarly like morning and he was sat in the half-light of the office, way beyond tired and yet not quite awake.

A gentle bleeping then startled him, perhaps a little more than it ought to. The copious amounts of caffeine in his body had made him jittery and he had swung round to face the incoming transmission before his body had time to realise.

"Oh, Jeff!" Penny's smile of greeting fell away. "You look dreadful!"

"Thanks." Jeff husked.

"I thought Scott had this watch?" Penny continued.

Jeff's heart sank; was she not pleased to see him then?

"Have you been up _all_ night?"

Jeff shrugged a reply.

Penny sighed loudly.

"Why the call?" Jeff gently reminded, wishing he were alert enough to sound more interested.

"Tune in to IWN." Penny answered carefully.

Jeff heaved his seemingly heavy form forward to reach out and focus in the comm. surveillance to the news channel. He frowned as he saw the assertive stance of Lisa Lowe, seated bravely before the infamously tough to interview Vice President of the World Gov.

_"So, you would agree with the hostile actions of those who tried to bring International Rescue down?"_

_The VP gave a measured smile. "I'm not condoning what they allegedly attempted to do." He began, "But I can understand their concern."_

_Lisa frowned thoughtfully, "International Rescue is – for all intents and purposes – a charity organisation. You wouldn't bring down the Red Cross for flying in to help victims of natural disasters or refugees in foreign countries."_

_The VP's smile grew, carefully. "The Red Cross is transparent, Lisa. We know who they are. And they do not have weapons."_

"_Oh, Mr Vice President!" Lisa laughed suddenly, "You're not suggesting - "_

"_No, I'm not suggesting anything. Merely stating what we have all clearly seen. The machines of International Rescue – the 'Thunderbirds', if you will – are very powerful and more than capable of - "_

Jeff flicked off the channel with a groan of dismay and disgust.

"They've been at it for twenty minutes already." Penny offered after a moment.

Jeff turned and regarded her concerned face for a moment. "So, we're the subjects of daytime TV, are we? The latest gossip."

Penny smiled, "You always have been. It's just that the focus has moved from 'who are the heroes of International Rescue?' into whether you can be trusted." She shrugged slightly, "The latest opinion polls on the radio give you 87 per cent of the public vote."

"Oh. Good." Jeff scowled.

"At least she's out there defending you."

"Yeah. Great."

"Oh, come on. In the face of all the possible danger from the people that could potentially silence her, you have to give her points for bravery. I mean, she could simply have taken the easier path and run with the 'Save Us From Being _Rescued_' angle."

Jeff's frown grew.

"Yeah." Penny sighed, "Honestly, the genius minds of the tabloid presses never fail to amaze me."

Jeff closed his eyes, "Why did this have to happen, Pen? I mean, what _were _they thinking … ?" He trailed off into his thoughts, sleep seeming to finally be almost catching up with him.

"They thought it was the best chance in a bad situation." Penny suggested, "And who else could they have turned to? I mean, you and I were all but incapacitated and Scott caught up with John and - " Penny stopped abruptly at Jeff's horrified gasp.

Jeff opened his eyes and turned towards the monitor, his mouth falling open and anger settling over his pale face.

"Oh god." Penny murmured. "Oh god, they haven't told you …"

Jeff remained silent, disbelief and fury fighting for dominancy beneath his rapidly reddening glare.

"Oh shit."

Jeff finally took a deep breath and shook his head slowly. "Please … don't tell me …" He sat upright and forward, letting his head sink into his hands with a low groan.

Penny was lost for words.

After a few minutes, Jeff looked back up at her, calm but suddenly so very tired. "Gordon and Virgil … ?"

Penny nodded, "And Alan."

"And - " Jeff halted, trying to keep his composure.

"If you ask me, I think it was a wise move."

"And did I ask?"

Penny gasped slightly.

"Sorry." Jeff offered quickly and then considered the revelation for a moment. "How did they …? I mean …?"

"Scott said they hot footed it over to LA while he and John were in London."

"Scott?" Jeff exclaimed, "Scott knows?"

Penny nodded, "He's been meaning to tell you at some point." She smiled nervously, "He's had other things on his mind."

Jeff dragged a hand over his close-cropped hair.

"It's given you a certain protection." Penny began again, "No one would dare make a move while there's so much attention."

Jeff mulled this over for a time. "Or perhaps those behind the conspiracy will simply go to ground, gather strength and become even more dangerous."

"Not with so many speaking publicly of their backing."

Jeff suddenly smiled, "Pen, with 87 per cent of the vote, _all_ the public figures are _bound_ to back us. And then stab us in the back as soon as the noise begins to fade away."

"Which it will."

Jeff's smile thinned a little. "God, I hope so." He shook his head sadly, "I wish …"

"I know."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the comm.

"Don't be too hard on them." Penny suggested after a time.

Jeff watched her for a moment.

"I mean, I'm just as much to blame as _any _of them." She looked suddenly close to tears, "If I hadn't taken the two of them out there. If - "

"Oh, please, no more ifs or maybes." Jeff pleaded wearily, "It's too late for that. We've just got to deal with it. Somehow."

"And how are they dealing with it?"

Jeff's smile made a welcome return. "Quietly. Eerily quietly."

Penny nodded, "It's only been two days since you got back. They need more time."

Jeff laughed gently, "Now that _is_ something our grounded status thankfully gives us plenty of."

Penny nodded in understanding and then groaned in disappointment. "Speaking of time … I've got a meeting to get to. We're going over more of the data and names, trying to piece this all together."

Jeff smiled warmly. "Go get 'em."

"Oh, don't you worry! I bloody intend to!" Penny chuckled. "In the meantime, if you need me - "

"I'll call."

"Good." Penny paused, seemingly about to add something further and then having second thoughts. "Cheerio, for now."

Jeff closed the connection, leaned back into his chair with a loud yawn and decided he needed more coffee to get through the final few hours before the next shift change. They had transferred all of Five's software down here to continue to keep a close eye on the world during their 'downtime'. Quite why, he could not really explain – there was no way anyone was leaving the island until he felt it was safe – but it was a way of keeping tabs on the latest developments. And it made it feel like they weren't really hiding.

The sun was just beginning to work it's way up through the haze of morning but the lounge was still in relative darkness. Jeff padded down the ramp and into the small kitchenette to brew up some more stimulants.

Noise and movement from the lounge caught his attention and he frowned as he abandoned the heating water and investigated the sounds.

Alex. She seemed to be drifting back into deep sleep as he approached, her bare legs curled up behind her and John's dressing gown draped over her torso.

Jeff frowned in concern, wondering why she was out here on the sofa. A few possibilities jumped into his weary mind and all of them led to the conclusion that he needed to go check on his son.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it but it unnerved him that she had not left his side since they had arrived home – more from John's absolute insistence than anything else – and now she was sleeping on practically the other side of the house.

The bedrooms were quiet save for the low moan of gentle snoring, audible thanks to the open doors. And that was something he had noticed last night when he had done his lap of the complex; all of them had their doors slightly ajar. Out of insecurity, he was sure, a need to be able to hear anything unusual in the corridor and listen out for each other. Jeff smiled fondly, wondering if they would rather simply all bunk down together as they used to or whether this was the compromise that their now older minds would allow.

Reaching John's door, Jeff could hear someone talking. He paused for a moment to listen and tears stung his eyes.

In the dim blue glow of the nightlight he had not used since childhood, Jeff could see John clearly. And the companion nestled in the bed in front of him.

Alan murmured again and wriggled in John's grasp, evidently troubled by a bad dream. John appeared fast asleep but instinctively pulled his restless brother closer to him, wincing at the pain it caused. Alan calmed immediately and was soon snoring.

Jeff smiled and swallowed back the lump in his throat as he turned and headed back along the corridor. He then gasped as he heard the kettle begin it's shrill warning that his water was boiling and he broke into a quick jog out into the lounge.

Alex sat up slowly and frowned groggily, watching Jeff speed over to silence the kettle.

"Sorry!" Jeff offered in a whisper, smiling sheepishly.

Alex yawned and climbed from the sofa.

"I thought I'd be here to stop it doing that."

Alex rubbed at her neck and rolled her head from side to side. "Oh, no, it's okay. You saved me from waking up later to find my neck broken!"

Jeff poured the steaming water onto his coffee and offered her a cup.

"Have you any tea?"

Jeff laughed gently, "You ask that even though you've met Penny?"

"Oh. True."

Jeff opened one of the cupboards and scoured its contents. "Earl Grey?"

"Fine." Alex shrugged.

"So …" Jeff handed her the mug of tea. "Why are you on the sofa?"

Alex climbed onto one of the bar stools, pulling the dressing gown closer around her and sniffing approvingly at her tea. "Alan wanted company." She smiled up at him, "And John's bed is barely big enough for two …"

Jeff nodded thoughtfully, "Somehow, the thought of girlfriends never came into the design of this place."

Alex considered the notion for a moment, her smile growing.

"So, did he throw you out?" Jeff continued.

"No. I offered. And John's so out of it still that he probably didn't even notice!"

Jeff frowned slightly.

"He'll be okay." Alex offered carefully, "He didn't take enough to do any permanent damage." She shrugged slightly, "I really think it was a simple mistake; he forgot when he'd last taken them and … well … Ohana has them now, so …"

Jeff was lost in his thoughts for a long moment and then forced a smile to his lips. "I hope you're right."

Alex nodded sincerely.

And Jeff suddenly laughed. "O_na_ha." He corrected merrily.

"Onaha." Alex repeated, blushing. "Ah, no wonder she didn't answer me. You think Ohana is a swear word, or something."

Jeff laughed a little louder and shook his head. "No! And I'm sure Alan called her worse when he was little!" Jeff chuckled at the idea and sipped at his coffee, his demeanour then slowly darkening once more. "You really think he'll be okay?"

Alex was surprised by the question, having assumed that Jeff knew his son far better than she did. But something about his tone made it obvious that he in fact didn't.

Alex pondered the query for a time, her heart sinking. He'd been blown up, almost suffocated to death, kidnapped, beaten, possibly tortured. And then there were the odd deep sleep murmurs about having killed someone to add to the mix. 'Okay' just couldn't be further removed from the truth.

She looked up into Jeff's weary, pain-filled eyes and nodded firmly. "Yeah. He'll be fine."

Tbc … 


	2. Chapter 2

It was a perfect afternoon. The heat of the day was slowly fading into the cool, darkening sky and a gentle wind crossed over the island taking the last of the humidity out to sea.

John sat at the edge of the upper pool and swung his legs round, dipping his bare feet into the cool water. He was tempted to immerse all of his tired body beneath the calm surface but he only had a few moments break.

It was odd. Up on Five, he never missed the fresh air or daylight of being planet side but now he was home he felled compelled to take regular steps outside of the office. Taking a deep breath and letting it ride out on the breeze that pulled at his shirt, John then wondered if actually he was sitting there more for his benefit or for Onahas.

She had watched him like a hawk ever since their flee homeward and he could well understand why. It had taken a long few weeks and several bottles of serious painkillers to get back on his feet the last time.

And then there was the small problem of having almost overdosed. Which was surprisingly easy. John frowned and recalled Onaha's shock. It was a mistake. Just a mistake.

But she'd taken the pills away, just to be sure and said something about not liking the idea of him using them, anyway. And then she'd perused the rest of the supplies the nurse had hastily boxed before their escape from London and had suggested some alternatives. Yes, he needed pain medicine and high doses of antibiotics to protect his damaged kidney and combat the loss of his spleen but she was concerned at the number of chemicals he was pumping into his body. John had laughed then, recalling the bland supplies on Five and the daily supplements he took while on duty there. She had given him a look that he somehow thought his mother might have understood and had offered some changes. She was trying to help and she was, even though it made him feel incapable and somehow guilty.

But it really had been a mistake.

Hadn't it?

Not that he could really be blamed if he did ever contemplate –

No. He closed his eyes and forced the notion to the back of his mind. He was stronger than that.

Wasn't he?

Tears stung the back of his eyelids as he suddenly wondered if he actually was strong enough to climb back up after this one. After all, it was a much harder fall.

The Hood's attack on Five had been terrifying and no amount of time or talking could ever keep the nightmares at bay forever. But there had been a sense of hope somewhere in the midst of all that chaos; he had known somewhere in the back of his mind that they would pull through. Even if others suggested that this was a result of the shock and disbelief that something like that could ever have happened to them, he knew it was something more.

It was faith.

A faith he never spoke of to anyone except the stars.

Faith in _what_ exactly he wasn't sure. But he had spent too many long hours watching his family rescuing people just in time or coming up against impossible odds and emerging triumphant. There had to be something helping them, watching their backs. Something more than simply the brother that surveyed their efforts from way above the Earth.

And that was what now hurt the most. Whatever it was that gave him that sense of hope, whatever it was that he found himself believing in. It had left him cold and alone in a remote Kazakhstan cell.

John shivered despite the warmth of the afternoon and, try as he might, the memories broke free of their restraints and ran rampant inside his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter and tried to force the images away, a sudden dread flooding through him.

"Hey there."

The gentle voice was unexpected and he flinched slightly, turning quickly to see who was approaching and the action pulling at broken ribs and the tight scar that ran up his torso.

"Sorry …" Onaha shrugged and continued forwards from the house.

John offered her a thin smile, his hand instinctively rubbing at the itching scar beneath his shirt.

Onaha came to a halt beside him and watched him in concern. "Is it still bothering you?"

John shrugged slightly and forced himself to leave the scar alone, remembering clearly how painful scratching the irritation was.

Onaha nodded slowly and stepped away from him, walking quickly round the pool and heading for the neatly arranged potted plants nestled amid the tree line.

John swayed his feet in the water, trying to distract himself from the tingling that seemed to throb beneath the strange red line that neatly marked the centre of him.

"Here." Onaha hurried back to him and held out the thick green tip of a strange leaf from one of her plants.

John stared at the leaf and looked back up at her blankly.

Onaha smiled and knelt down beside him. "Open your shirt." She began, grinning as she saw the sarcastic response that sparkled suddenly in his eyes. "Oh, I've seen it all before!" Onaha chuckled softly.

John flicked up one eyebrow in amusement and slowly unbuttoned the thin cotton. He then watched warily as Onaha squeezed the leaf tip and clear-greenish sap oozed forth.

"Oh, come here." Onaha laughed slightly, seeing the disgust on John's face as she held the bleeding leaf towards him.

"But -" John pulled away from her in uncertainty and grimaced as she touched his chest with the leaf. He held his breath as the green gunk made contact with his tender skin and then gradually the cool sap began to work it's magic. "Wo …" John sighed in relief as Onaha spread the cool greenish ooze down the length of the scar and the itching faded. "Aloe?"

Onaha smiled warmly at him and nodded with pride. "You see … I know what I'm doing."

John gasped, "Oh, I didn't - "

Onaha raised her hands, "It's okay." Her smile grew and she placed her hand on his arm. "You do not know me as the others do." She laughed gently, "Which spares you from my nagging, I suppose."

John smiled back at her. She was right. It was rare that he spent this much constant time with his whole family. And it had come as a pleasant surprise to find himself enjoying it.

"It's good to have you here." Onaha continued.

John nodded in agreement and looked down at the rippling surface of the pool. It felt good to be there. The past few days had been strange, to say the least, but their father had been completely clear; he wanted everyone together on the island until the whole situation in the world beyond their sandy borders calmed. How long that would take no one knew but Jeff had been adamant that it would take as long as it needed to.

And it had taken about six days. And then the very public reassurances sent out to a secret organisation began to really sink in. And so they had responded that morning to the first distress call since the Kazakhstan incident and the chaos that had erupted after.

And it felt strange to now be almost alone. Thunderbird One and Two had blasted from the island just after midday and left behind them a house oddly silent. John had monitored the mission and listened to the usual cheeky banter between the brothers and watched the rescue unfold just as it should. And a sense of familiarity settled around him at last.

The first few days he had done nothing but sleep and then he had emerged to find the place unusually calm and quiet as they slowly absorbed all that had happened to them.

Kyrano had spent long hours talking with Jeff and Brains. Scott had seen them sending some sort of memorial wreath out to sea and they could all guess why but it was never spoken of. Penny had called frequently to check up on them and Onaha had provided home cooked goodness and a shoulder for those that needed it.

And Alex. She was so perceptive and had blended into the home as though she had always been there. She was part of things when it was right to be and yet somehow faded into the background when the family needed space.

Normality had slowly crept in early that morning, almost as if this day had begun with a sign that it would be better. At breakfast, Alan and Gordon had been refreshingly loud and Scott and Virgil had risen to their various challenges willingly, glad for the excuse to simply be stupid – but to of course beat them at everything.

"What is it …?"

John looked up from his intense study of the pool water that rippled around his feet and could feel himself blushing. He had been lost completely for a moment and had totally forgotten that she was there. "I …" he cleared his dry throat and shook his head slightly. "I'm really not sure."

Onaha suddenly smiled and stroked her hand down his arm fondly. "They're okay, you know … they're on their way home and they're fine."

"Yeah, I know." John shrugged, "It's not that. Well, it is but … it's just … I don't know what's going to happen … you know?"

Onaha smiled patiently.

"I mean … it used to be clear. There was purpose and meaning and … oh, maybe Scott's right. I'm too much of a routine-aholic."

"A what?"

John laughed gently, "You know. I like my quiet and my stars and my studies and … well … routine. All this uncertainty and chaos is too much for my ordered brain." He looked into her gentle face and laughed again. "God, I'm such a nerd!"

Onaha shrugged slightly. "Perhaps."

"It's like all the rules have been re-written, y'know? All the facts are wrong and nothing is where it should be."

Onaha's smile faded slightly.

"Oh, listen to me!" John chuckled, "I sound like a right crazy!"

"No." Onaha frowned, "No, you are actually making a lot of sense. There is comfort in order. And your way of coping last time was to quickly regain that order. You couldn't do that this time. You couldn't retreat to the reassurance of your world up there above us."

"Wait, I don't - "

"And it has changed you, this whole … experience." Onaha continued carefully, seeing him shudder and again placing her hand on his shoulder to reassure him that she wasn't about to force the memories to the surface. "You came down for your usual break from Five and you were the person you knew as you … now you are someone else."

John held his breath and regarded her warily.

"And you don't like this new version of you."

John's breath left him with a slight moan and tears suddenly gathered.

"I won't pretend to know how that feels." Onaha squeezed his shoulder gently, "But I do know that you need more time."

John nodded silently.

"And perhaps you need more than this," She glanced back towards the house, "Being here and being close is exactly what _they_ needed but you are different."

Again John nodded before then suddenly laughing softly. "Is this your subtle way of saying I need a shrink?"

"Maybe," Onaha shrugged, "Only you can know that."

A gentle bleeping at his wrist comm. then interrupted them and John frowned as he opened the link.

"John, darling."

"Penny?"

"We're making our approach. Permission to land?"

"I …" John's frown grew. "Yeah … sure. But - "

"Brains called me in." Penny explained quickly, "He said he needs to make some modifications to my ca– to FAB 1."

"Oh."

"Didn't he tell you?"

John smiled warmly, "He's been so engrossed in studying that new device of his that he's not emerged from his lab for days, let alone spoken to anyone." Which wasn't strictly true. John had seen the repeated bursts of transmission from the lab to a certain school in Massachusetts.

"I see. Well, we're here now. See you in a mo'."

"Sure. Put her down on the edge of the airstrip and I'll warn Virg to watch out for her."

"Thanks John."

John closed the connection and took a deep breath. He turned and offered Onaha a brief smile of gratitude before climbing to his feet and heading back inside.

0000

Penny wandered inside the house and waved a greeting to Onaha before heading up towards the office. Converted to the command and control centre while the team were still out there, the office was dark save for the pale glow from the numerous monitors and Penny smiled as she saw the single occupant hunched over one of the consoles.

"There's no place like home."

John lifted his head and turned to smile in greeting.

Penny stepped further inside and looked around the dimly lit room. "Perhaps you ought to paint some stars on the shielding or project an image of the Earth there to make it really work."

John's smile grew, "I was simply conserving energy by leaving the lights off."

"Yeah, yeah." Penny chuckled and climbed up onto the central platform. "How far out are they?"

"ETA 12 minutes."

Penny nodded thoughtfully. "Good." She watched him for a moment and took a deep breath. "Where's Alex?"

"Out exploring." John replied and then grinned as he nodded to one of the monitors. A small transponder signal flashed amid the white contour lines of a rough island map and he shrugged slightly, "But she hasn't ventured further than the beach as yet." He turned back to Penny and his smile fell away. "Why?"

"DCI Pryce." Penny answered quietly, "He was found this morning."

"Found?"

"Shot."

John stared at her in horror.

Penny nodded sadly, "I know. It's a dreadful blow." She sighed heavily, "We've got Henry Shaw in protective custody but … Alex's partner Tom has gone missing."

"Someone's doing a clear up."

"Yep. And guess who they'll seek out next."

John closed his eyes. "Shit."

Penny nodded towards the locator beacon and frowned in thought. "I've got people en route to provide cover for her family but Alex needs to be warned."

"Warned?"

Penny shrugged slightly, "We've no other choice. As of the six o'clock news tonight, PC Alex Winter is no more."

0000

The intense rumble of returning craft sinking back into their concealed housing shook through the complex and brought all but one of its occupants hurrying through to the lounge to greet the team. It wasn't something that usually happened but after the first mission since chaos had opened up and almost swallowed them, it seemed the right thing to do.

And soon the five of them emerged noisily from the secret passageways in the control room, still in uniform and grubby from the rescue.

"Hey." John greeted them warmly, standing from his chair to meet them.

"Virg got flowers!" Alan barked excitedly.

"Alan!" Virgil shouted in annoyance, having apparently ordered his little brother to keep that particular gem secret.

"Flowers?" Parker grinned in delight.

"Yeah!" Alan enthused, seemingly unperturbed by the daggers he was being shot by his older siblings. "This little old lady came up to mobile control and gave them to him!"

"Really?" Penny laughed.

Virgil frowned in annoyance, "I was only there for a second – Scott was off securing the area and asked me to help pack up." He turned to the eldest and his frown grew. "I'm sure they were meant for _him_."

"Oh, don't be silly!" Scott laughed merrily, closing in on his brother and mussing his hair. "You are the prettiest of us, after all."

"Dude!" Virgil warned angrily.

"Okay, that's enough." Jeff cautioned gently, heading through to the kitchenette and grabbing a glass of water.

"Yeah." Gordon agreed, "We ought to be focusing on the serious security implications of the Virgil Tracy fan club."

"Hey!" Virgil defended in annoyance, glaring at Alan who was doubled up in uncontrollable glee.

Scott grinned, eager to take up the challenge. "Not that I think we'll have much to fear from the beige brigade."

Virgil spun at him and opened his mouth to protest.

"Anyone hungry?" Onaha ventured carefully, lifting a large chocolate cake from the fridge and noting the awe-filled silence that now hung in the room. Pleased with the effect her creation had gleaned, she set the cake down on the table and looked round at their stunned faces. "I thought you all deserved a little spoiling."

Alan had now stopped laughing and was staring at the cake in wonder, seemingly caught in the tractor beam of its cocoa goodness. "Onaha, is that - "

Onaha grinned with pride, "As close to chocolate fudge as I could make it."

And that was enough information. With a flurry of excited chatter and eagerness the table was soon crowded. And it was like the past weeks had, just for a moment, faded into a distant memory.

_Tbc …_


	3. Chapter 3

Freshly showered and energised from a successful rescue, Jeff was positively glowing as he strode out of the house and sank into one of the chairs beside the pool. He then saw John and Alex deep in apparently intense conversation and watched them in concern for a moment.

"It went well?"

Jeff turned and watched Penny heading towards him.

"Just like old times." Jeff smiled.

"With the added bonus of flowers, no less!"

"Hmm," He shook his head in dismay, "Crazy old bird! Comes wandering happily up to a secure area like that and – Jeez – I very nearly over-reacted!"

Penny laughed in delight, "I'm sure!" She chose a seat opposite him and her smile grew. "So, what did Virgil do with them?"

"Said thanks and tossed them aside when she'd gone." Jeff chuckled and then shrugged, "Well, it could have been one of any number of ploys! Sweet little old lady and her concealed weapon."

Penny laughed harder and then glanced back at the house. "Where _are_ the boys, anyway?"

"Science 101." Jeff replied, "Brains is filling them in on the latest upgrades."

"The EM weapon?"

"Yeah," Jeff waved his hand dismissively, "Oh, he'll bore you with it all when he fits it to your car."

Penny gasped, feigning shock.

"Oh, I'm only joking." Jeff smiled, "Man's a genius and I'd be lost without him."

"Never mind that crap – you called her 'my car'!"

Jeff opened his mouth to protest or perhaps explain and then decided against it. He smiled happily, his cheeks flushing a little, and was then aware of Alex becoming upset and running indoors. It was a welcome escape clause and he turned back to Penny for answers.

Penny shrugged and explained the latest happenings back in London.

"Oh." Jeff frowned in concern and watched John standing quickly to go after Alex.

John wavered as he stood and took a moment to try and get his balance. He lost and sat back down hard on his seat with a groan of pain.

Jeff began to get up to go to John and was stopped by Penny's gentle grip on his arm.

"Don't." Penny cautioned under her breath.

John closed his eyes and forced himself to take some deep, steady breaths. He then stood carefully and, avoiding eye contact with the pair of them, headed inside.

"I think he feels a bit smothered." Penny explained carefully, "You need to give him space."

"He said that?"

Penny nodded and then suddenly smiled, "He also said not to tell you but I'm no good with all that subterfuge and sneaking about."

Jeff grinned at her. "Nah. Not that you need it much to be a _spy_!"

"Oh, that's _work_!" Penny defended, "This is family and we shouldn't be …" She watched his smile waning. "What …?"

"Family."

Penny laughed slightly, "Yes."

Jeff looked down at her fingers still curled around his wrist and his smile was restored. "I like the sound of that."

Penny watched him silently, her heart pounding in her ears. "It … it wasn't just me, then?"

Jeff looked up into her face.

"I thought before … at my house … there seemed … well … it was like before and - "

Jeff leaned forward and gently raised his arm to bring her hand up towards his face. He brushed the back of her fingers with his lips and smiled fondly. "Yeah." He whispered, "I felt it, too."

0000

Alan watched in fond amusement as Professor Hackenbacker seemingly danced around the EM device as if he was performing some sort of native voodoo chant. And if Alan hadn't been tuned in since childhood to the scientist's rapid half-stuttered speech pattern, then his words might have seemed equally odd.

Gordon leaned closer to his younger brother and sighed slightly. "Dude? You getting' any of this?"

Alan grinned in delight and nodded an affirmative. Escaping school to train with the Thunderbirds was simply the coolest thing ever and moments like this were exactly why: the sheer gadgetry heaven of a new Brains inc. invention. He was fascinated and hanging on every stammered word the Professor uttered, despite it being wholly against the teenage code to actually listen to an adult in teaching mode.

Brains took a much needed pause for breath and frowned at the small device that sat squarely on his work bench. He then seemed to remember that he had an audience and turned to them with a slight smile of apology.

"So …" Scott rubbed his chin in thought, a distinctly father-like habit that he resented but barely realised he was actually doing. "Let me get this straight … we're putting weapons in the Thunderbirds?"

Brains' shoulders fell. "For defensive pur-pur-pur- requirements only."

Scott laughed slightly, "This thing can all but destroy a small city!"

"In the wrong hands." Brains nodded.

"And we'll use it to do what, exactly?"

Brains frowned in rarely seen annoyance and closed his eyes.

"Have you not been listening?" Alan groaned and stepped forward to peer past his brothers and frown at his eldest. "It's for protection." He indicated the EM device and grinned merrily. "And it's cool!"

"Alan, you didn't see what this thing can do." Scott countered.

"Yeah, I did!" Alan retorted, then suddenly remembered that he wasn't supposedto have used Five's hardware to illegally realign commercial satellite feeds. "I mean … I heard about the Harriers in London and the chopper in Kazakhstan."

"It fried _everything_." Scott added. "The whole complex. Not just the chopper and it damaged equipment at Northolt besides the planes."

"Because it was being used incorrectly." Brains interjected, "With the right software to focus the beam … the targets can be ti-ti-ti-minute."

"Targets?" Scott shook his head slowly. "We're on dodgy ground here, Brains. I mean … they tried to bring us down by saying we're dangerous and now - "

"We fight back." Alan concluded firmly.

Scott turned to his youngest brother and sighed loudly. "God, that's just what they'd love us to do. We'll be proving them right. Playing right into their hands."

"No." Virgil had been studying the device in interest and contemplating the developing debate that surrounded him. "I'm with Alan on this one. I mean, I don't really get the specifics but, as I understand it, this is just an extension of the anti-detection shield. We can neutralise everything from the smallest spy camera to a missile or even a pursuing craft." He frowned in interest and turned to Brains. "We somehow spread the word that we have this device and give people warning to keep their distance."

"Spread the word?" Scott threw his hands in the air in frustration, "We use this thing just _once_ and the word will be spread alright. And we'll make ourselves the threat we allegedly are!" he spun back to Brains. "And I can't believe you and Dad are even _contemplating_ this!"

Brains regarded Scott in silence for a moment, seemingly choosing his words with care. "We were naïve to have thought that Int-Int-Int-this organisation could exist in the world such as it is and not become a target." He frowned slightly, having apparently already battled with the arguments Scott was presenting. "It's evolution. We adapt or we are done with."

Scott held the elder man's gaze for a time and seemed to see something of the pain that Brains clung to after all that had happened. And he backed off.

Whether through understanding or exhaustion, Scott relented. But knowing he was too fired up to listen calmly, he shook his head to offer an apology and turned to leave. "I need some air."

The three remaining brothers kept their attention on Brains, shifting uncomfortably as they stood before him and waited for him to continue. Then Gordon suddenly sighed and broke formation, ignoring the hissed warnings from the others as he lurched off in pursuit of Scott.

"Wait!"

Scott continued his fast pace regardless, crossing beneath the enormous expanse of Thunderbird 2 and towards the nearest exit out onto the landing strip.

"Scott!" Gordon urged, breaking into a run to catch up with him. "I would have thought that you of all people would want to get one up on those bastards!"

"That would only bring me down to their level."

"Scott!"

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"Fine." Gordon slowed to a gentle walk and frowned in concern. "But when you do." He called out, his voice echoing around the hanger. "I'll be here."

And with that Scott stopped abruptly. He turned and faced his brother, unexpected tears gathering as he smiled fondly and gave a small nod. "Thanks, man."

Gordon shrugged and watched Scott then spin back towards his escape and disappear out through the concealed side door, a brief flash of bright afternoon sunlight washing across the hanger and Gordon's worried face.

0000

They had sat together in silence for some time now. John too wrapped up in his own problems to think of anything remotely useful to say. Alex still too stunned and upset to form any kind of sensible sentence.

And yet it felt right. It was good to simply be side by side on the edge of his bed, their shoulders touching, and just sit with a comfortable nothing gathered round them.

It took time for either of them to notice how, despite the respective troubles that were seemingly gathering like storm clouds above them, right there in that moment they felt safe.

Alex ceased her intense scrutiny of the carpet beneath her feet and turned to look at him. With a small smile, she reached up towards his face and the movement seemed to pull him from his thoughts.

"I'm so glad I'm here." Alex offered, her voice hoarse from crying and suddenly so loud in the quietness.

John closed his eyes and leaned into her touch as her fingers sank into the hair above his ear.

Alex's smile grew. "And not just because if I was in London I'd be - "

John flinched back from her with a gasp. "Don't say that!" He snapped, harsher and louder than he had intended.

Alex pulled back her hand and frowned up at him, fresh tears gathering.

"I'm sorry." John whispered, grabbing her hand and squeezing her fingers tightly. "I didn't mean to …" he sighed loudly and shook his head. "God, I'm so tired of all this."

Alex watched him warily, seeing him taking a deep breath and wincing slightly at the discomfort it caused.

"Why don't you talk about it?"

John paused and frowned down at her.

"It helps." Alex shrugged.

"Maybe … but it's not me." John replied quietly, then sighing as he was reminded of what Onaha had said.

"I'm not saying you have to talk to me, necessarily … but …"

John groaned instinctively. "Not you, too …"

"What?"

"You're gonna tell me I need a shrink."

"Am I?"

John regarded her in interest and shrugged a little, or as much as he could without causing more pain.

"How about your Dad's friend?" Alex offered, "Your Dad said he's a good listener."

John considered this for a moment and then slowly shook his head. "I don't want them knowing."

Alex frowned up at him.

"I … I can't bear to think that … when they look at me, they'll know … and they'll be thinking – oh I don't know what they'll be thinking but … no." John sighed loudly. "No."

Alex watched him for a moment, seeing alternate waves of pain and sorrow painting a confusing pattern across his suddenly pale face. And somehow knowing that it wouldn't be long before any help might be too late.

_Tbc …_


	4. Chapter 4

She was gone. And it seemed odd that he should miss her presence. Odd that for only five nights she had shared the seemingly far too narrow single bed with him and yet the lack of her presence now was so completely alien.

John leaned back a little to feel the coolness of the mattress and sheets behind him and wondered how long she had been gone. And wondered when his singular, secluded world had suddenly melted into a union of dependence and companionship. Something he was sure he never wanted and yet now could not imagine being without.

Climbing from the bed, he pulled on jogging pants and a T-shirt and padded out into the hall.

The house seemed still and quiet but as he wandered into the lounge he could hear the faint murmur of chatter. Looking up above the lounge to the upper level and office beyond, dull lights flickered out of the open door. John waited for a moment, listening to the familiar mumblings of Five's constantly scanning channels and the comm. traffic from all over the world.

Scott was up there. He had volunteered the night shift again, insisting that they may as well all take turns while they could and no one really querying the fact that he obviously wanted something to do in the hours when he couldn't sleep.

But the question of if and when John was returning to Five had briefly arisen. And the uncertainty of their collective response was unsettling.

Laughter then caught John's attention and he turned to peer out into the low glow of the partially lit pool area.

Penny.

Stepping outside and coughing gently to alert her to his presence, John watched Penny turn to him in interest.

"Hey you." Penny smiled, "Come to join the meeting?"

John frowned.

Penny laughed gently and put her hand to her chest to convey amused sincerity, "My name is Penny and I am an insomniac."

A splash from the pool and a mischievous chuckle and John had found whom he had been searching for.

Alex grinned up at him. "Nothing like a midnight swim."

"At three in the morning." Penny added.

Alex glided over to the side of the pool and placed her arms on the lipped edge. She rested there for a moment, sighing loudly. "I guess it's jet lag or something."

Penny giggled merrily, "I would go with the 'or something'!"

"Indeed." Alex grinned and reached out to grab the bottle of Vodka that had been partially hidden beneath the foot end of Penny's couch.

John looked between the two of them and then smiled in amusement. "Who raided the old man's stockpile?"

Penny raised her hand timidly. "Do you think he will be mad?"

"I think he'll be more concerned at the idea of you swimming while under the influence."

"Oh, I've not been in." Penny amended quickly and then nodded towards the pool. "And Alex is not really swimming."

Alex laughed in agreement, "I'm floundering with style."

John stepped further from the house to perch on the bench opposite Penny. He frowned as he then recognised the very un-pink baseball shirt her neat frame was positively swamped in and the smile on her face as she saw his thought processes told enough of a story.

"Why don't you climb in?" Alex asked after a moment, peering up at him in interest.

John looked from Penny to Alex and suddenly felt uncomfortable. There was something between them and he had a suspicion that his name might have been played about with during however long the two women had been talking together.

"No, thanks." John shrugged slightly and then smiled at Alex. "Where did you find swimwear, anyhow?"

"Who says I did?" Alex grinned and pushed back from the edge of the pool, the rippling illusion of the water surface allowing a brief glimpse of her dark lacy briefs. And that was all she was wearing.

John held his breath, feeling his cheeks flush and all too aware that Penny was looking at him.

Penny stood slowly from her chair and headed towards the house, patting John's shoulder as she passed him. "I would dive in, if I were you." She offered gently, "You never know when you will get another chance."

John glanced up at the sight of the usually so prim and proper Penny with her tangled hair hanging about her flushed face and curling around the collar of his father's shirt. He filed the image securely under 'never to be repeated' and smiled up at her.

"G'night." Penny waved towards them both and headed inside.

"I like her." Alex offered happily after a moment and then grinned cheekily. "Evidently, not as much as your Dad does."

John was about to protest when he was then splashed playfully with an armful of cool water.

"Oh, hush!" Alex groaned, "I can keep a secret."

John laughed and patted himself dry. "I should hope so. Or you are _so_ in the wrong house!" He stood and wandered closer to the edge.

"It's amazing how the water stays so warm." Alex mumbled, glancing down at the rippling surface around her shoulders. "I mean, I can't imagine that your Dad has it heated all night – what a waste of money!"

John shrugged slightly, "You never know." He began to recall the all too frequent early hours of the morning returns to base and how Gordon would dive into the pool to calm down before sleep.

"Wait!" Alex pushed back from the edge, treading water as she peered down at the bottom of the pool. "There's something under here, isn't there?"

John laughed gently, "No," he nodded towards the adjoining pool. "It's the other one."

"Oh." Alex turned, trying to look over the edge. "But what happens if it slides back? What if someone's swimming and the rocket takes off?"

John laughed again. "Don't worry! There's a _very_ loud alarm." He grinned down at her, "You sound so English when you're drunk!"

"Well, d'uh!" Alex giggled and then suddenly frowned up at him, "Hey! I'm not _drunk_!"

"Whatever." John edged a little closer. "Why don't you come out now?"

"Why don't _you_ come _in_?" Alex countered merrily.

"Come on, Al." He crouched down and held out his hand. "Let's go inside."

Alex sighed and reached up to take his hand. With a quick jerk on his arm, he toppled easily and was soon in the pool beside her. She laughed in delight and watched in amusement as he broke the surface, gasping.

John pulled himself across to the side of the pool, fighting for breath but smiling nonetheless.

"Sorry." Alex swam up to him, "That was just too bloody tempting!"

John wiped his face and turned to grin at her. He then winced and reached one arm under the water to support his ribs.

Alex's smile fell away. "Oh crap! Are you okay?"

John nodded, laughing. "I'm fine. I'm a bloody fool but I'm fine."

Alex giggled and moved closer to him. "Well, seeing as you're here …"

"Oh no," John edged away from her. "No way! With my whole family back there!"

"Yeah!" She enthused.

"Nope. Not gonna happen."

"Oh." Alex stuck out her bottom lip sulkily.

"Yeah, like that's really gonna help your cause!" John smiled, trying to stay clear-headed despite the obvious effect of her all but naked proximity to him. And in the family swimming pool, no less. It was all too much like an adolescent fantasy. And it was somewhat disappointing to find it could still cause the same reaction.

Alex watched him in interest and his pause was all the opportunity she needed. She swam in even closer and laughed cheekily. "They can't see us."

"That's so not the point."

"Oh, go on." She pleaded, reaching out under the water and sliding her hand up his thigh.

No thought entered his mind. No warning that this might happen. He simply felt her touch and reacted. And he hit her hard.

The force slung her backwards, dazed and under the water.

And it took a few seconds for him to realise what had happened. With a gasp, he lurched forward and hooked his arm under her neck, lifting her face clear of the water surface.

Alex coughed and spluttered and pressed her hand against her already reddening cheek. She stared at John in horror and made no protest as he guided her across to the steps.

John clambered from the pool and grabbed the dressing down that she had borrowed from him. He held it out and wrapped it around her trembling form as she perched uneasily on one of the chairs.

"Everything okay?"

John spun at the voice and saw Scott heading out towards them.

"Alex?" Scott quickened his pace and frowned as he saw her nursing her cheek.

"I slipped." Alex offered quickly, avoiding eye contact with John.

Scott crouched down before her and gently pulled her hand back from her face. "Ooh, nasty." He then noticed John supporting his side and breathing shallowly, in obvious pain.

"He jumped in." Alex added.

"Oh, man." Scott groaned, "Why didn't you call out? You shouldn't be - "

"I'm fine!" John retorted angrily.

Scott watched him in concern for a moment. "If you say so." He turned his attention back to Alex and smiled thinly. "Once a rescuer, always a rescuer, I guess!" He stood slowly. "I'll go get you some ice."

John watched his brother smiling down at Alex and suddenly adrenaline was rushing through him. If it hadn't been for the slight problem of not being able to take a painless breath, he'd have challenged him.

"What the fuck was that?" Alex whispered suddenly.

John turned to her and slowly shook his head. He really didn't know.

"Here." Scott hurried back out and held out the ice pack, helping her gently press it onto her cheek and completely unaware of the daggers his brother was shooting him. "Odd time for a swim, anyhow."

Alex smiled sheepishly. "It was Penny's idea."

"Penny?" Scott looked around them in confusion.

"She's gone back to bed. We were out here chatting."

"Ah, you see! I've always been wary of you women teaming up together!" Scott laughed and turned to John, to meet the full force of his angry glare.

"Good to know nothing gets by you while you're on watch." John grated.

Scott frowned and his face was full of hurt as he stood from them. "I … I guess I'll leave you guys alone."

"That'd be good, yeah." John mumbled.

Alex watched Scott leave and let the ice pack fall away as she turned to John. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She sighed and stood quickly, firmly tying the dressing down around her and heading inside.

John sat in stunned silence on the bench, staring at nothing. Where had that come from? His heart was racing as the past few minutes replayed in slow motion. But still there was a blank space where motive should have been. He was happy and she was teasing. And then she was under the water and his throbbing knuckles told the awful truth.

It was just like –

The breath left him like he'd been punched in the stomach. John sagged forward and groaned as the ground neared.

_Blood sprayed out from the bullet wound, coating the walls and the floor and him in its sticky warmth. He watched the man's eyes roll back up into his head and his body slump heavily onto the floor. John then looked down at the smoking gun in his trembling fist and stared in disbelief ..._

And then the world faded to black.

When he came to, he had no idea how long he had been laying awkwardly on the poolside. Looking around in disorientation, it seemed that nothing much had changed in his surroundings and he pushed himself slowly upright. Climbing gingerly to his feet, John headed inside and made his way through to his bedroom.

John sighed in dismay as he stepped into the dark room and could just make out her curled form in the bed. Either she was upset and feigning sleep. Or he'd been passed out beside the pool for longer than he cared to imagine.

Climbing carefully in beside her and biting his lip against the agony of relaxing back into the mattress, John reached out a timid hand and nudged her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Silence. But had the rhythm of her breathing changed?

"Alex, I'm really sorry. I would never - " No. That sounded wrong. Because he had hurt her. "I love you."

And those were apparently the magic words. Alex rolled over quickly, erupting into quiet sobs and wrapping her arm around his waist.

And god that hurt. John closed his eyes and tried to ignore the stabbing pain in his chest as she moved closer to him, deciding that it was the least he deserved for what he had done.

Alex buried her face into the hollow of his neck and cried softly. When she then slowly calmed, she lifted her head to wipe the tears from her face and his skin and was then aware of him watching her in the almost blackness.

"We were hiding out in the med lab." John husked quietly, "And then she heard a sound and went to look. And it was him. The leader. The one who …"

Alex's heart slammed into her chest and she instinctively pulled him closer. His words did not make complete sense but that didn't matter. He needed to say them.

"He was going to kill her. And then me." John groaned wearily, "Scott had given me a gun. He didn't trust her. But … oh god, why did he have to - " he choked on a sob and leaned his head closer to rest his forehead against hers. "I had no choice."

There was silence between them for a time and Alex reached up to gently slide her fingers through his hair, hearing the whimper of gratitude as she did.

"At least, that's what I've been telling myself." John continued quietly, "But it wasn't a conscious decision. It just happened. Like someone else was in control." He sighed, "I just reacted because of who he was, what he had done."

Alex shuddered at the possibilities.

"She told them she killed him. They don't know …"

"Oh honey …" Alex kissed his forehead, his eyes, his cheeks, trying to somehow wipe away the painful memories.

"I told Scott … told Dad … that I couldn't remember … but I see it all every time I close my eyes … I remember the questions … I remember her … I remember how they kicked and - " He suddenly gasped and grabbed at her arms to pull her closer. "Oh god!" John was crying now but trying to do so quietly and whining with the pain of his broken ribs.

"It's okay." Alex soothed, "I'm here."

"Make it go away!" John husked.

"Oh, I wish I could."

Maybe she should have pushed for more. Maybe she should have insisted that he stayed awake, told her everything, got it over and done with. In the morning the awful truth would only be there waiting for him once again. But after a few minutes of crying he was exhausted and soon fell into troubled sleep.

Alex lay with him for a long while, hearing his breathing slow and feeling his body relax. She waited as long as she could to ensure he was really gone and then carefully slid out from his grasp.

The tears were brimming long before she stepped inside the office and he stood quickly as she entered. He hurried round the desk and quickly enveloped her, holding her tight against him as she cried.

"He'll be okay." Scott offered softly after a time. "It might take a while but he'll get there."

Alex sniffed and leaned back from him. She wiped her face and took a moment to regain some sort of composure. "I don't know, Scott. He started to tell me something just now and I don't - " She looked up into his troubled face and shook her head. "I have a horrible feeling it's too late …"

Scott swallowed hard and remembered the anger in John's drug-heavy eyes as he'd woken in the hospital.

"I think he needs some serious help." Alex suggested carefully.

Scott regarded her in silence and then gasped slightly, "Did he - ?"

"It was my fault," Alex offered quickly, instinctively touching her bruising cheek. "I was teasing and I went too far." She shrugged and smiled, "I got scratched."

"But - "

"No, don't! Don't be angry with him. He's not himself. He needs help. But …" Alex closed her eyes and sighed loudly, "Scott, I don't think any of us here can deal with what John is starting to offload."

Scott shuddered and closed his eyes. All at once the fear and helplessness of being held captive flooding through him.

And then there was the torture. And the awful sounds from beyond his door.

"Scott?" Alex squeezed his arm gently. "Hey … maybe you should speak to someone, too …"

Scott smiled suddenly, pride and a familial stubborn streak dictating that he should decline but the pain and dread nestled deep within suggesting otherwise. He took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "I'll put out some feelers in the morning. See who can help us."

"Maybe someone who was there would be best. I mean, maybe if he doesn't have to explain, doesn't have to give details."

Scott frowned slightly and closed his eyes. "He won't talk to me … I … he just won't."

Alex nodded slowly, "I know … I didn't mean you."

Scott regarded her in interest and his frown slowly ebbed away. "Eva?"

"She was there, wasn't she?"

Scott considered this for a moment, his heart racing. Of course. She was there through all of it. And to maintain her cover she would have witnessed –

The thought brought bile to his throat and he grimaced as he swallowed it back.

"Is that too much? Would it be too cruel to make him face it like that?" Alex continued, stepping closer to Scott and again taking his arm. "Or should we try?"

Scott turned to look at the comm. and sighed loudly. "I don't know … she'll have gone into deep cover for safety … I don't know if - "

"She must have given you a way to contact her. After all that you went through together."

Scott turned back to Alex and a slight smile pulled at his lips.

Alex nodded gently, "If you don't want him to hate you for doing this … I could make the call …"

_Tbc …_


	5. Chapter 5

The alarm had to be loud. She understood that. But did it have to be the exact pitch that could quite possibly shatter her skull into a thousand tiny pieces?

_**All personnel to command and control. All personnel to command and control.**_

Alex groaned and grabbed at her aching head. She was then aware of him laughing gently and she dared a peek through heavy eyelids into the bright room.

"I'd give you sympathy but it'll only encourage you." John smiled, pulling on jeans and a shirt as fast as his bruised body would let him.

"Oh god, who gave me alcohol?" Alex groaned.

"Penny did." John chuckled, "You want me to get her for you?"

"No. I'll deal with her later." Alex rolled onto her side and peered at the clock beside her. "What? It's six am!"

"I know. I'm sorry." He knelt on the edge of the bed and placed a kiss on her bare shoulder. "It kinda comes with the territory, babe."

"And, man, am I ever reconsidering my options!" Alex frowned angrily up at the unrelenting blend of siren and voice command. "Alright! He's on his way! Shut up!"

"See you later." John smiled and hurried from the room, laughing as he looked back and saw her pulling a pillow over her head.

He was pleased to discover that he was not the last to arrive. Despite the delay from his still healing injuries, he was still quicker than Penny at answering the alert. John smiled warmly as Penny rubbed at tired eyes and yawned loudly.

But was it simply part of the act? Did she need to be seen to be making her way through the house not at Jeff's side? And what was the problem with the others knowing about her and their father? John was lost in the contemplation of this and many other questions when Scott then turned off the signal.

Scott's face was sombre as he nodded to the comm. "Rincon de la Vieja volcano. Activity started yesterday, mainly volcanic ash and water vapour but the cycles are of greater magnitude than usual and the scientists on the field have ordered evacuation of the nearby families. The Costa Rican government just called for help."

John hurried round the desk and smiled at Scott. "Do they know we're coming?"

"Not yet. I was waiting for authorisation." Scott replied, glancing at their father and then indicating the blinking icon on one of the monitor screens.

Jeff nodded thoughtfully and turned to Brains. "One for recon and Two for evac?"

Brains nodded in agreement.

John sat down at the comm. station and opened the link. "Esté es Rescate Internacional. Estamos en nuestra manera."

Jeff marched across to the open elevator bay behind his portrait. "Gordon, you're with me and Virgil. Alan go with Scott."

"Yay!" Alan whooped in delight.

Scott laughed and hurried across to the access elevator that led down to Thunderbird One. "But I'm driving, Sprout."

"Sure. Whatever." Alan shrugged, grinning merrily.

John regarded the line of open hatches for a moment, the hair at the nape of his neck tingling with pride and excitement as he nodded eagerly. "God's speed."

"Affirmative." Jeff nodded sternly and the doors slid shut.

* * *

They headed east across the Pacific and within a few minutes were approaching Central America. They had barely time to suit up and Jeff was still pulling on his gloves as Virgil indicated a visual of the coastline.

Jeff turned and saw Virgil frowning intently. "Problem?"

"What?" Virgil spun at him with a slight gasp. "Oh, no. Nothing."

Jeff gave him a pointed look.

"Okay." Virgil sighed, "John."

"Go on." Jeff urged quietly.

"Did he seem … well … too 'normal' just now?"

"Hey?" Jeff laughed gently.

Virgil's frown returned. "Well … I get the quietness and the deep thought and all the 'John's working it out his own way' stuff but … cheerful and happy makes me nervous."

Jeff shrugged slightly, "You're just not used to him being there. Maybe he's just like that when he's on Five."

"Right." Virgil scoffed.

"Look," Jeff sighed and turned his chair to face Virgil fully. "He's dealing with a lot right now and it's to be expected that he'll be a little 'off-key' now and then." He watched the unconvinced concern remaining amid Virgil's serious expression. "Is there something else?"

"Alex."

Jeff nodded slowly, "It was a risk, granted, but he needs his friends around him right now."

"But what's with the open displays of affection?" Virgil pressed, "It's just not him."

"And how would we know that?" Jeff laughed. "We've never met any of the others."

"Precisely!" Virgil sighed and shook his head slowly. "Something's not right."

"Base to Thunderbird 2."

Virgil glanced at the comm. uneasily, silently sighing in relief as he confirmed that the open link was off. "Go ahead, John."

"Conditions update." John began. "We're fortunate there's no rain today but there's a south-westerly wind blowing the cloud towards Liberia and the airport. You'll need to approach from the north east."

"Understood." Virgil nodded. "Thanks, John."

"Don't thank me," John laughed, "Thank Brains – he's the weather girl this morning! Base out."

Virgil's frown had deepened. "See? He's _never_ jovial during mission updates!"

Jeff smiled and shook his head. "You're reading too much into it."

"Maybe." Virgil sighed and then looked out at the landscape unfolding before them, whistling in awe as he saw the dark grey plume reaching up into the bright morning sky.

"Thunderbird 2 from mobile control."

"Yeah, Scott." Virgil responded quickly.

"The relief workers have already started gathering the families. It should be a simple scoop and drop but the scientists are a bit twitchy. They say they've not seen this much activity before, hence the rush."

"Okay." Virgil affirmed, "Where d'you need us?"

"They're just flagging up the main hot spots for me and I'll give you the co-ordinates shortly." Came the reply, "But a refugee centre is being set up in Cano Negro, north east of here to get people clear of the cloud."

Jeff made a note of the grid reference Scott dictated.

"Mobile control out."

Virgil made the necessary course corrections to arc around the volcano and well clear of the growing cloud that loomed ominously before them. He then opened the link to the cargo bay to check on his brother's progress.

"All set here." Gordon confirmed. "Ready to receive passengers."

"And the device?" Jeff urged.

"Online. If anyone boards with electrical equipment, they'll get a surprise when they try to use it."

Jeff smiled in relief and turned to Virgil. "Let's get in there, then."

* * *

Despite the early hour, the small village of Guanacaste was a flurry of noisy activity. Waking to find yesterday's small grey wisp of cloud had grown into an immense tower of dark ash and smoke had caused something of a panic and the local emergency services were having trouble co-ordinating the gathering of the villagers.

On the outskirts of the village, on the border of the national park, Scott and Alan were having a somewhat calmer debate with the scientists to identify which residents were most in need. Some of the dwellings were easily reachable by car and relief workers had already set out in 4x4s to collect the families but the main concern was the isolated few dwellings out in the forest.

"We can easily go round and pick up the families individually." Scott pointed out to the chief scientist.

Marcus Rodriguez. Late thirties, Scott guessed. And surprisingly normal for a science geek.

"I agree." Marcus nodded. "Your men can speak Spanish, I take it? They can explain to the families why they are being taken?"

Alan laughed and shook his head. "Won't _that _be enough?" He pointed at the cloud behind them and frowned in confusion.

"You would be surprised." Marcus replied, "Last time this happened was back in 1995. It took two days to move just 300 people."

"It'll be much faster this time, I can assure you." Scott smiled.

"I hope so." Marcus shrugged, "With all the seismic activity in the region, we are looking at a major event sometime very soon."

As if to prove a point, a gentle vibration rumbled beneath their feet and the three men paused for a moment, waiting for the crescendo of a shock wave. It never came but it was enough of a warning.

Marcus turned to look across at the vast expanse of low, green hills and the outline of the many craters that were almost obscured by the fringes of tumbling ash clouds. "I should have known …" he murmured softly, "She was trying to tell us something last week …"

Alan frowned in concern and watched Marcus gazing lovingly towards the volcano. "_She_ …?" he inquired carefully. "You mean … you talk to the mountain?"

"No." Marcus turned to him and shrugged slightly. "Alas, no. I can only listen." He looked back out at the awesome height and depth of the cloud and shook his head slowly. "Le oigo, vieja muchacha."

Scott pulled his gaze from the ominous volcanic range to stare in confusion at Marcus. He then caught Alan's amused grin and it was all he could do not to laugh. So maybe Marcus was not so normal after all.

And then it happened. With a noise like a thousand cannons firing at once, the larger of the ten craters along the volcanic vista exploded.

They were far enough from the danger zone to not be caught up in the blast and supposedly at a safe distance from any fallout but Alan's cry of fear and alarm sent most of the scientists scrambling for cover and he and Scott made a dive for the shelter provided by their craft.

Marcus was staring up at the volcano in awe, seemingly glued to the spot. He watched the shower of blast debris falling and simply could not believe the amount of molten rock and gravel that had filled the sky. This had never happened quite so dramatically before and he wanted to watch and remember every detail. So much so that it simply hadn't occurred to him to move to safety.

It was mainly small nickel-sized crumbles of rock that soon began to tumble around them, ricocheting off the small research centre's outer walls and pinging on the sleek hull of Thunderbird One. Then the odd boulder began to thud into the ground and another loud bang warned of more sizeable chunks falling into the crater and being launched by the mounting pressure beneath them.

Scott winced as a large, steaming rock glinted off the Plexiglass shielding of his craft and landed with a thump beside them. He peered up at the underbelly and muttered a quiet prayer, hoping they were well out of the range of anything bigger.

"Marcus!" Alan shouted suddenly, "Dr. Rodriguez! Move, damn it!"

Scott frowned as he followed Alan's gaze and saw the scientist standing out on the open, gazing open-mouthed at the volcano.

Rocks and boulders were shooting forth from the crater as if shot from a baseball launcher, with a sound like fireworks igniting. The scientist was unperturbed, apparently mentally filing away all the new data.

Scott suddenly gasped and opened the comm. link at his wrist. "Thunderbird 2 from mobile control." He shouted over the noise, "Tell me you guys are clear of this!"

"Affirmative." Came Jeff's quick reply. "Are you okay?"

Another _thunk_ against Thunderbird 1's hull and Scott cringed. "Just about. I think we might move clear pretty soon, though." He added, quickly calculating a safe escape plan. He signed off and turned to say as much to Alan.

But Alan was gone. Scott gasped as a flash of white uniform then revealed his brother's whereabouts. Alan was charging headlong towards Dr. Rodriguez and hollering a warning at the stunned scientist. He collided with the elder man with a thud and they were both launched sideways and falling towards the ground.

Scott moved a short way clear of the protection of Thunderbird 1 and saw the cause for Alan's rugby tackle of the scientist. A large chunk of rock the size of a small car was tumbling down through the grey, ash-filled sky. And it was coming directly at them.

_Tbc …_


	6. Chapter 6

Thunderbird 2 was shuddering violently. Gordon held firm to the railing of the rescue platform and watched the ground beneath them passing in a blur of green and grey. Somewhere beyond the open cargo bay doors was a banging not dissimilar to thunder and his dad had explained that the volcano was erupting – not that it wasn't obvious enough, Gordon thought sarcastically.

Gordon clung to the railing as the platform made another descent, hovering over the three small houses nestled by the river. His heart was pounding in his ears as he sank below Thunderbird 2 and clear of the protection of her wide green belly, each new rumble from the mountain making him gasp in fear. His dad might well have offered reassurances but Gordon was recalling the last time he had been suspended from the cargo bay. He could think of nothing but Kazakhstan and the exploding jet fighter. And the eruptions sounded scarily like gunfire.

"Gord? How's it looking?"

Gordon watched the ground fast approaching and was then aware of small pebbles raining around them. Great. As if to prove things could be worse, they now were. The platform lurched beneath him as Virgil steered out of the path of oncoming debris and Gordon cursed under his breath.

And then the rescue platform met ground, the line slackened and he had a solid footing. He opened the gate and switched on the loud speaker nestled within the control panel. "Hello? We're here to help?"

Nothing.

Gordon opened the comm. link and watched the small dwelling in concern. "John. Do your thing."

It was simply easier. Gordon knew enough to keep the passengers within the cargo bay calm but shouting orders was different; one slight mispronunciation and chaos could be multiplied exponentially.

"Venido con nosotros. Ahora!" Came John's voice over the tanoy. "Le llevaremos a la seguridad." And then, privately through Gordon's earpiece, John laughed. "Dude, you realise I could be saying just about anything to them! I could get you in a whole heap of trouble!"

Gordon frowned, not recognising the jesting light-heartedness in a voice that usually remained calm and focused at times like these. "Whatever." He sighed in annoyance. "Just a simple 'hurry the fuck up' will do fine."

John repeated the command through the loud speaker and Gordon waited with baited breath. He then smiled in relief as the front door of one of the houses parted open slightly, a worried face peering round the edge.

"Come on!" Gordon urged, beckoning them forth.

They hesitated and he couldn't blame them; the ground was trembling, the volcano spewing matter into the sky and now an enormous green plane was hovering over their back yard.

"Quickly, John. Tell them!" Gordon groaned and then suddenly decided to take a chance, deciding he'd heard the phrase enough times over the past ten minutes. "Estamos aquí ayudarle!"

It worked. The three families who had huddled together inside the one house slowly ventured forth, glancing worriedly at the mountain and then in open-mouthed fear at the enormous craft hanging in the greying sky above them.

"Prisa!" Gordon urged, "Quickly! Prisa!"

Another loud blast from the volcano and the families needed no further encouragement. They leapt forth from the house and crowded onto the platform. And Gordon's Spanish for 'I can only take so many of you' was non-existent. A firm hand and a gentle shove gave enough of a message and he closed the gate, trying to ignore the confusion and fear in the eyes of those that were left behind as the platform began it's ascent.

With one last load of frightened but grateful passengers, the area was emptied and the refugees secure in the cargo bay. Gordon relayed as much to Virgil and closed the cargo bay doors, sealing himself and his passengers safely away from the noise outside.

The families huddled together on the floor, Gordon's gentle requests for calm working well. He wanted to reassure them further and wished he could take off his helmet and offer them a friendly smile. But in the current climate he was just too afraid to risk it and so nodded emphatically, hoping his eyes conveyed enough as he regarded them all through the orange faceplate.

"Gord?"

Gordon answered the comm., sighing heavily. "They're all safe and unharmed."

"Good." Jeff replied with relief, "We're heading for the refugee centre. Good job, son."

"Thanks."

It was only seconds before the ride became a great deal smoother. Once clear of the debris, Virgil was able to plot a direct course across to the nearby town and came to a steady halt over the gymnasium car park.

Jeff made the decision to chance a landing and Virgil brought Thunderbird 2 slowly down into a nearby field but leaving the engines idling, just in case.

The ramp lowered and Gordon peered out into the bright morning. Relief workers and emergency personnel were hurrying across the car park to greet them and he wandered out of the hold, beckoning his passengers to follow. He then saw a familiar face among the group of helpers and his heart sank.

"Shit." Gordon groaned into the comm. "Dad. Virg. You'll never guess who's here …"

* * *

Scott couldn't see from his position beneath Thunderbird 1 whether Alan had managed to get clear of the boulder in time. He scrambled to his feet, the impact of the enormous rock having unbalanced him and trembled through the craft above him with worrying force.

"Alan?"

When no reply came, Scott glanced up at the suddenly quiet volcano and the black cloud of ash that had darkened their surroundings. Holding his breath, he hurried out from beneath Thunderbird 1 and circled the boulder.

"Oh, thank god!" Scott sighed in relief and fell to his knees beside Alan.

Alan rolled off of the scientists' still form and smiled up at his big brother. "Dude, that was close!" He glanced behind them and shook his head in wonder as he saw the small mini-van sized chunk of rock that had skidded a deep trench into the ground not a few metres from him. "She would have been totalled, man!"

Scott groaned slightly, "Who gives a crap about the plane, dude! You were nearly _toast_!"

Alan shrugged and turned back to look down at the scientist who was lying awkwardly beside him.

Marcus groaned and rolled slowly onto his back, reaching up to clutch at an obvious lump on his forehead where he had met the ground.

"Sorry." Alan offered quietly.

Marcus frowned up at him. "Are you _joking?_!" he laughed suddenly and took Alan's outstretched hand to pull himself upright. "Thank you." He breathed, his smile growing as he saw the size of the boulder. "So very thank you!" Marcus repeated merrily, shaking Alan's hand.

Alan nodded and again offered a shrug of modesty but he then caught the proud smile on Scott's face and he grinned happily.

The volcano had now gone quiet. Aside from a few tremors through the ground beneath them, the place was suddenly still. Scott looked up at the vast dark cloud of ash and whistled in awe.

"That was … astounding." Marcus muttered beneath his breath and shook his head slowly. He then saw his colleagues emerging from the research centre and he scrambled to his feet. "Please tell me we got readings! Have we captured all that data?" He asked hurriedly as he broke into a run and headed inside the centre.

Scott looked at Alan and saw the same thought in his younger brother's eyes.

"Geek!" They both observed in unison.

Alan giggled mischievously and got to his feet, brushing the dirt from his uniform.

"Mobile control from Thunderbird 2."

Scott opened the comm. "Go ahead, Dad."

"You guys okay?"

Scott smiled warmly at Alan. "Yeah, we're fine. You?"

"We're just about done here. We'll meet you back at base."

"Understood."

"Safe trip." Jeff signed off.

Alan watched Scott in interest. "Well?"

"All done." Scott affirmed, "Let's pack up and go home."

"Cool." Alan nodded and headed towards the research centre to check on the team within.

* * *

Jeff watched the last of the refugees hurrying down the ramp and merging with the crowd of aid-workers and emergency service personnel.

And press.

His heart was suddenly racing. He met Gordon who was waiting at the top edge of the ramp and, from the relative safety of the shadows, Jeff peered down at the film crew and the reporter hastily interviewing the frightened refugees.

Gordon pulled off his helmet and breathed a sigh of relief as cool, fresh air washed over his flushed face. He wiped at his damp forehead and groaned slightly. "They need to move clear so I can raise the ramp." Gordon muttered wearily, his gloved fingers hovering over the control panel beside him.

Jeff nodded distractedly, watching the reporter in interest.

"Why'd it have to be her, anyhow?" Gordon considered aloud.

Jeff turned to look at him. "I thought you liked her. Isn't that why you went to her?"

"No!" Gordon laughed suddenly, "She was the obvious choice! And about the only name we could think of in a hur - " And suddenly it sank in. Oh god. Dad knew.

Jeff nodded slowly, a frown settling over his eyes. "It's ok. I'm glad you did."

Gordon stared at his father in confusion. This was not quite the reaction the four of them had anticipated. In fact, the lack of full force angry explosion from their father had given them a clear signal that he in fact could not know that it was they who had called the press.

"Okay, at first I wanted to tear the lot of you limb from limb but …" A slight smile pulled at Jeff's mouth and he reached out to pat Gordon's shoulder. "It has actually been good." He turned his gaze back down at the slowly departing refugees and rescue personnel. "And she really took a risk to help us, standing up before the firing line as she did." He laughed suddenly, "Not that I'll chance thanking her. The woman's insufferable enough as it is!"

Gordon chuckled in agreement, watching his father in relief and welcomed surprise. But maybe Onaha was right; they had all been changed because of what had been through.

Jeff stepped further back into the concealing shadows of the cargo bay and nodded to Gordon; the main crowd had moved clear and now only the film crew remained. They angled their camera towards the craft and Lisa began her concluding monologue.

Gordon gasped as he saw the direction of the camera and his hand moved to the waiting device nestled inside the door. A firm hand on his arm stopped him from scrambling the camera, the cell phones, the PDAs and anything else electrical in the area. He turned and watched his father slowly shaking his head.

"Let her get another exclusive." Jeff offered softly, "It's the least we can do."

Gordon paused in doubt for a moment but Lisa had already begun and she was just close enough for them to hear her closing prose.

"The scientists have already begun investigating this latest eruption and the early warning system invented here at this research station has proven its effectiveness. Thanks to the Thunderbirds, all the endangered families have been safely brought to the shelter here at Cano Negro and the army are now en route to help with the clear up and continued evacuation. This is Lisa Lowe for IWN in Costa Rica."

Jeff nodded to Gordon, signalling that it was time to raise the ramp. He then looked down towards the crew and saw the camera and sound guys heading off. Lisa however was waiting at the base of the slowly rising ramp and turned to peer up inside the craft.

Jeff stepped out of the shadows and waved, hoping to convey all that he needed to in as little interaction as he could. He saw her smile warmly and then her face was filled with concern. Jeff nodded and headed inside the cargo bay.

"Virg!" Jeff called into his wrist comm. "Get her up and out of here!" He broke into a run and beckoned Gordon to follow.

"Dad?" Gordon urged worriedly.

"Did you not hear her warning?" Jeff offered quickly, jogging through to the flight deck. "The army are headed this way and we can't risk being here."

* * *

Alan couldn't breathe. Taking her to London was one thing. This was quite another. He had the permission, even the encouragement of his eldest brother. And he couldn't breathe.

"Hey …" Scott leaned across to place his hand on Alan's shoulder. "Just relax into it. You're doing fine."

Alan let out his withheld breath with a sudden burst of excited – and yet terrified – laughter and glanced at his elder brother. "Are you _kidding_?"

Scott nodded in understanding. "It's okay. Dude, you've proved you can handle her. It's me that has trouble letting go of the reins. You're _fine_ …"

Alan grinned in delight and turned his full focus back to the white cloud layer over the Pacific.

Scott smiled happily and looked away, trying not to watch Alan and make him more nervous. It was a surprise that the brash little upstart _was_ even nervous but also strangely comforting that Alan wanted so much to impress and so was being very careful. But low, straight and steady was boring. Scott knew that. And he knew Alan must have been thinking it.

"Wanna try a roll?"

Alan gasped and the thus far smooth journey wavered momentarily. "You – what – hey?"

Scott laughed gently. "Only if you want to."

Alan gave an instant wide grin of a reply.

"Okay." Scott nodded and took a deep breath. "Keep your altitude and pitch steady, we don't want to spin out. Now … heavy on the starboard thrusters, slacken off the port and …"

Slowly Thunderbird 1 banked left and then Alan corrected and she moved into a gentle turn. A slow slide of sky view becoming cloud surface and a dizzying moment of disorientation and she was back upright and still heading steady.

Alan whooped in delight.

"Not bad." Scott laughed, nodding with enthusiasm. "Little shaky as you moved into it but good recovery and nice steady balancing. Good."

Alan was breathing fast, gripping the controls tightly and grinning so wide it seemed his head might split in two.

"Not bad at all." Scott continued, "We'll get you some more flight time in her and you'll be – WO!"

It was perfect. Instantaneous and smooth. When the craft was again righted, Scott gasped in shock and delight. He turned and met Alan's smug grin.

"Oh, no way, dude!" Scott groaned slightly, his smile faltering. "The second you get cocky, you are down."

Alan's shoulders fell, along with his happiness.

Scott saw the disappointment and hurt and his heart sank.

Silence fell between them. Silence except for the ominous hum of the very powerful engines behind them.

"I'm sorry." Scott offered eventually. "Didn't mean to be quite so pseudo-dad there."

Alan shrugged a response.

"You're good, Alan. Honestly. You pick it up so naturally and - " Scott sighed and then laughed suddenly. "You just better not get better than me. Got it, bud?"

Alan's smile returned and he glanced at Scott with renewed merriment. "Got it."

* * *

Penny headed up the ramp towards the office and could hear his voice from within. She paused at the door and listened as John chatted merrily about the successful mission. When a natural pause in his seemingly one-sided conversation then arrived, she stepped inside and waited at the door.

Brains had already scurried down to the lower levels to upload the diagnostic programmes and post-mission debriefing that he and the two Thunderbirds craft would initiate upon their return.

John was facing away from her, gazing at the nothing of the reverse of the window shielding and mumbling quietly. He had not apparently sensed her arrival and Penny stepped into the room and headed up onto the raised central control platform.

"Hey." John turned to her and smiled merrily.

Penny nodded. "They on their way back?"

"Yup. Scott's only about 5 minutes out."

"Good. We were waiting for them before starting breakfast." She glanced down at the location maps and comm. channels and frowned as she realised that most of the hardware was simply monitoring the approaching craft. The comm. was off. And yet he had just been chatting so animatedly …

"What?" John asked in interest.

Penny turned back to him, her heart racing. "Who were you talking to?"

"Mom." John answered easily. He then saw her recoil slightly and he realised his error too late. "My – I mean – myself." He quickly corrected.

Penny regarded him in silence as tears gathered in his eyes. He then closed away his feelings and quickly stood, making some remark about not being needed now that the two craft were almost home, and fled from the room.

_Tbc …_


	7. Chapter 7

The hanger seemed enormous and so obviously empty without the massive bulk of Thunderbird 2 nestling between the inner faces of the rock cavern. John smiled a thin greeting at Brains, noting the fleeting glance he was awarded by way of acknowledgement. Brains was busy. And John knew better than to even attempt a conversation.

Stepping out of the elevator, John quickly read the scientists' moves and took in the various readouts on the bank of computer screens. Knowing instantly where Brains was in the sequence of uploads and preparations, John headed for the far end of the work- station and sat before the Thunderbird 1 diagnostic tools. They were a mere 90 seconds out, the proximity alarms and warning claxon from the responding pool controls signalling the arrival of the craft far above their heads.

Just moments later and the smallest of vibrations murmured through the hanger. To many, the gentle sinking of Thunderbird 1 into the silo was all smoke and noise and not much more. But life aboard a space station had heightened John's senses to the slightest shift in his environment; the tiniest incorrect alignment could quickly lead to a much bigger problem and so he could single out a faulty thruster as if it were a bad note amid an entire symphony.

And the melody of Thunderbird 1 docking was wrong. The computer watched the manoeuvre without concern, readouts all indicating a correct sequence, but John heard differently. He closed his eyes and listened to the sound. It wasn't so much a fault or … John smiled suddenly and nodded in understanding.

Seconds later and Thunderbird 1 was home, the pool sliding back into position and concealing the silo. The computers linked and chatting animatedly, the diagnostic programmes erupting into life and reviewing every detail of the trip.

John flicked on the onboard camera connected to the comm. and his smile grew as he saw Scott debriefing a fidgety, excited Alan who appeared to be trying to pay attention but so obviously needing to break free of the pilot's seat and run and tell anyone in earshot (repeatedly) that his big brother had let him drive home.

Switching off the camera feed and leaving the pair to their private chat, John watched the computerised debrief unfolding and was aware of Brains perching beside him. They continued their work in silence, each knowing what to do and not needing to share pointless small talk in their task. It was refreshing and familiar and John was grateful for the distraction of needing to concentrate and push all other concerns to the back of his mind.

* * *

Penny strode down the rocky path that led to the beach and frowned as she peered out across the sandy bay. The sun tingled on her shoulders and the back of her legs, the warm breeze bringing only the slightest relief from the already baking morning heat. After a moment she spotted her quarry down at the shoreline and she sighed as she continued forward.

It was almost too hot to be out on the scorching sand, let alone running along it. Penny frowned in concern and broke into a jog to follow the lone figure and she smiled a greeting as her presence was noted.

"Here." Penny held out the iced bottle of water that was already dripping in condensation.

Alex came to a halt and gasped in delight. "Oh, fantastic!" She responded breathlessly, taking the bottle and a long, grateful mouthful, keeping only the left side of her face towards her unexpected visitor.

"You run?" Penny began.

Alex shrugged slightly. "Yeah, sometimes." She glanced out at the ocean. "Although I'm not really used to this – it's not exactly Hyde Park."

Penny chuckled, "Oh, I know! All this fresh air, warmth and scenery. It cannot be healthy."

Alex laughed in amusement, taking another sip of water and then sealing the bottle. She rested her fists on her hips and let her head fall back, sighing as she gazed up at the cloud-spotted blue. "How did you know I was here, anyway?"

"Your watch."

Alex lifted her wrist and examined the device in interest.

"It contains a locator chip."

Alex frowned. "John lent it to me." She then smiled in amusement. "Among other things!" She added, tugging at the MIT t-shirt and grey boxer shorts she had resigned to wearing. "But all I've got with me is my uniform."

Penny chuckled in agreement, noting the fetching addition of now sand-covered standard issue black brogues that completed the ensemble. "You are welcome to borrow anything of mine. I have a few supplies stored here."

"Thanks." Alex turned and smiled at Penny.

"Bloody hell!" Penny exclaimed suddenly, stepping closer to her.

Alex recoiled from her but then realised the focus of her concerned gaze and she reached up to touch her cheek. "Oh … it's nothing."

"_Nothing_?" Penny echoed, "That is rather a dark, nasty 'nothing' …"

Alex shrugged and turned away from her.

"Alex?" Penny urged.

Alex groaned softly, "Look, we worked it out. Okay? It was a misunderstanding. Nothing more. He didn't mean to - "

"Perhaps not but it would seem to be another piece of a rather worrisome picture."

Alex turned back to her and waited for her to continue.

"He is not himself." Penny resumed after a moment. "In fact, I have never seen him like this. Well, perhaps …" Her gaze shifted out over the ocean.

"The explosion on the station." Alex surmised.

Penny nodded slowly. "You two met after that had all passed but …"

"He still dreams about it."

Penny's eyes drifted back to Alex.

"It's still too raw. I don't think he ever really dealt with it. And now … after all this …"

"What has he told you?"

Alex sighed and shook her head. "Enough."

Penny smiled, "You are not betraying his confidence if it ultimately helps him."

"Maybe."

"Listen." Penny sighed, "I think we should talk to Jeff. It seems clear that John needs us to help him."

Alex nodded in agreement. "And Scott and I think we know how."

"Oh."

Alex took a deep breath and explained the idea of contacting Eva. She watched Penny considering the possibility for a moment and they were both then distracted by the none-too-quiet arrival home of Thunderbird 2.

Alex shaded her eyes from the bright sunshine to look up in awe as the immense craft made a seemingly impossibly smooth approach. She had been mesmerised by the similarly precise manoeuvring of Thunderbird 1 a short time before and murmured appreciatively as the green sister ship sank below the tree line to touch down on the out of sight airstrip.

Penny sighed and frowned worriedly. "We ought to let them have their boisterous post rescue breakfast and then there will be time to have a quiet talk with Jeff."

"Sounds like a plan." Alex offered merrily, deciding that there was nought to be gained from sitting and worrying. "Meantime." She crouched down to untie her shoes and peel of her damp socks. "I do believe I stink of sweat."

Penny laughed and watched in delight as Alex jogged into the surf, gasping as the perhaps not as warm as she had anticipated deeper water hit her legs.

* * *

Breakfast was anything but the usual animated recounting of the mission. Even Alan's enthusiasm for his piloting home was subdued.

It had begun pretty much as normal. Then Virgil had voiced his concern about John and a dark cloud had gathered over the group. They now picked at their feast of cereals, pastries and fruit in quiet contemplation.

"He doesn't make wise-cracks." Gordon offered quietly, glancing at his brothers and seeing the same concern and confusion on their sombre faces. "Not during an emergency."

Virgil turned to their father and nodded slowly.

Jeff closed his eyes and ran a hand over close-cropped, greying hair.

"He takes a lot of those pills." Alan added.

"Guys!" Scott groaned suddenly, "He's been through a lot. Give him a break!"

"No, Scott." Virgil countered, "Maybe that's precisely what we _shouldn't _do."

"Yeah," Gordon agreed quietly, "'Cos that sure worked a treat the last time."

Jeff turned to watch Onaha quietly washing up in the small kitchenette. She seemed to be politely ignoring the discussion but he knew she had been spending time with each of the boys during their 'downtime' and he needed her insight. As if sensing this, she looked up at him and a small nod was all she needed to add her concern.

"Is it a security thing?" Alan pondered aloud. "Is there no doctor that you could trust?"

At the mention of the word 'doctor' the uneasiness in the room grew and Scott visibly tensed.

"No." Jeff replied quietly, "There is a friend I can call. That's not an issue." A brief smile pulled at his lips as he glanced round at his sons and tried to offer them the reassurance that their well being would always come before the needs of the organisation. Or at least it should.

Gordon had been watching Scott in concern during the discussion and his frown grew suddenly. "There's something you're not telling us."

Virgil scoffed in sarcasm. "That much has been obvious from the start."

"Boys." Jeff cautioned.

Scott clenched his fists and tried to put the image of Alex's bruised face far from his thoughts, as though his family would somehow be able to read the horrible truth from him.

Gordon's gaze was unwavering. "What really happened out there?"

Scott shuddered at the memories that instantly tore through his mind and stood from the table. He thanked Onaha for breakfast and hurried out through the open lounge doors.

"Nice one." Alan remarked.

Virgil closed his eyes and hung his head with a sigh.

Gordon watched his elder brother's departure and then turned to face his father. "Since when do we keep stuff from each other?"

Jeff had no reply and could only watch in dismay as Gordon also left the table and headed into the house.

* * *

Penny watched the approaching figure, noting his heavy shoulders and sorrow filled face and needing no further information. She paused part way up the stairs that led to the poolside, out of view of the house, and waited for him to reach her.

"It's worse than I'd realised." Scott began, "Listen, Pen, Alex thinks - " He sighed and shook his head. "We think maybe Eva - "

"I know." Penny nodded towards the beach behind her. "We were just talking about it."

"Dad's gonna call that shrink friend of his."

Penny regarded Scott's pale face. "And?"

"I think forcing him to face it is the only way."

"Okay." Penny smiled thinly, "Then we should make the call."

"We can create a secure link from your car."

Penny turned and began to head back down to the beach. "We will have to work it out together somehow. Last time I saw Parker he was engrossed in an apparently crucial to the survival of the human race match between two of the London teams."

Scott laughed gently, his amusement bringing a welcome light to his otherwise sombre countenance.

Penny glanced back at him. "Besides. Perhaps the less people that no about this, the better."

Scott murmured an agreement.

"Darling John has developed somewhat paranoid tendencies. Best not to prove we are teaming up against him."

* * *

The diagnostics complete and the computerised accounts of every minute detail of the mission examined and saved, John smiled at Brains and received a slight nod of agreement.

"Hungry?" John offered lightly, the first word spoken between them sounding strangely loud and hollow in the hanger.

"Yup." Brains agreed.

They headed towards the lift together and began the ascent to the main house. John smiled to himself as he then recalled the somewhat worse-for-alcohol form of Alex that he had left a few hours previously. He lifted his wrist and called up the locator grid, surprised to find her corresponding signal out on the beach.

Breakfast was apparently finished as John and Brains wandered into the lounge. Onaha smiled a welcome and nodded towards the remaining food that she had left on the side for them. Brains hurried across eagerly but John hung back, glancing out beyond the pool and wondering when Alex had surfaced. Now more intrigued than hungry, he grabbed an apple and hurried outside.

The sand was hot and John jogged down the beach, glancing at the map on his watch face. As he reached the halfway point between the cliffs behind and the low surf before him, John surveyed his surroundings and confusion filled his eyes as he beheld the empty beach.

His heart racing, John focused in on the map and found the exact position of the signal. It was mere metres from him. Turning along the beach, he watched the signal flashing insistently and his frown grew. With a sudden dread growing deep within him, he then saw a dark object nestled amid the bright sand.

John crouched down and picked up the watch, brushing the sand from the face and hardly daring to take a breath. The gentle chirping of his own watch then startled him and he glanced at the incoming message.

"Dad?"

"Hey, bud. You got a minute?"

John couldn't help but smile. "Just one?"

"Well, maybe more than one."

John heard the concern hidden within his father's gentle voice and closed his eyes. Great. A deep and meaningful was exactly what he didn't want right then. He swallowed back the reactive retort and nodded a reply. "Sure. Be right there. Oh, Dad? You seen Alex?"

"Not personally but I know she's out on the runway with Penny. I think they're playing with FAB1." Jeff laughed gently, "Which I guess is a worry in itself."

John's frown reformed.

"See you in a minute?"

"Sure." John signed off and turned to gaze up towards the high, tree covered cliffs and the runway beyond. He looked back down at his watch and flicked up the locator map again, his heart sinking as he saw the ID beacon sitting over the pink FAB1 symbol.

Scott.

* * *

He was fuming. It probably wasn't the best plan to head in the direction his fast pace was taking him but he could hear nothing in his mind except the endless voice telling him this had to be dealt with.

Perhaps there was a logical, innocent explanation for it all but right now he could see only white hot fury. He was shaking with adrenaline and desperate to hit something. Or someone. If he had stopped long enough to contemplate this, perhaps he would have recognised that this just wasn't him.

The anger grew as he stepped out onto the runway and his suspicions were confirmed. They were sat inside the car together, laughing as if sharing a joke. And far too close to each other.

Scott caught sight of his brother's approach and frowned in concern as he quickly recognised his body language. He stood and stepped down from the car, watching apprehensively as John neared.

"What have you told him?" John blurted out as he halted before the front of the car.

"What? Who?" Scott shrugged.

"I'm not talking to you." John spat back.

Alex climbed from the car. "John? Are you alright?"

"Not according to some."

"I … I don't understand." Alex fumbled.

John stepped closer and noticed Scott's immediate shift in position to move protectively towards Alex. "Oh, that's just perfect!"

Alex and Scott watched him warily.

"Just perfect." John repeated.

"John?"

John turned and watched Penny hurrying along the runway towards him.

Penny looked between the three of them and frowned. "What is it?"

"What's going on?" John countered.

Penny sighed and nodded in understanding. "You saw the transmission. I knew we should have asked you." Penny smiled thinly and then saw the confusion on John's face. She glanced at Scott and watched as, out of sight of his brother, he was shaking his head urgently.

"Transmission?"

Penny was lost for words.

Alex stepped forward and reached out to place her hand on John's arm, noting the way he flinched at her touch. "I …" She swallowed back the sudden lump in her throat, glancing at Penny and Scott for reassurance. "I wanted to call home. Check on my mum."

John frowned.

Penny took a deep breath, grateful for the rescue and quick to pick up the thread. "Your father would not have thought it wise."

"And he'd be right."

"It's my mum, John …"

John regarded Alex in interest.

Penny waited with baited breath, watching her three companions nervously. Quite how she had managed to leap in with both feet again she was unsure. And now even the wind that had picked up around them could not blow away the tension hanging in the air.

"So how is she?"

Alex shrugged.

"Fine." John nodded. "If that's how you want to play it." He spun on his heel and turned away, jogging towards the hanger.

Scott watched his departing brother in stunned silence and slowly approached Alex, glancing down at her pale face. "What the hell was that?"

Alex shook her head and covered her mouth with her hand to try and hold back the sob that rose in her throat.

"He's lost it." Scott placed an arm around Alex and pulled her against him. "He's totally lost it."

Penny watched them both for a moment and then tossed her hands in the air in exasperation. "God, I am so bloody sorry. I - " She closed her eyes and dropped her face into her hands, groaning softly. "Oh well. Too late for all that." She looked back up and forced a smile onto her lips. "Well? What about Eva? Did you get through?"

"Yeah." Scott replied quietly, still staring after his long since disappeared brother. "We got through."

_Tbc … _


	8. Chapter 8

It was not as hard as one might have assumed to steer clear of each other on a small island. And before she knew it the sun was setting and the approach of darkness drew her back inside. Not that she had ventured very far in her avoidance/exploration. Beach, yes. Bug infested jungle? Hell, no.

Her skin was tight and hot and her head pounding from too much sun as she slid beneath the sheets and lay back in the bed. She had sought shade in as far as she had dared to venture beneath the trees and Penny and Scott had repeatedly ventured down to offer her chaperoned passage back into the house. But the truth really was a strong desire to be alone. Plus the added fear of more questions about her bruised face and the risk of bumping into a severely odd-acting John. In fact, alone was not quite enough. Getting the hell out of Dodge had seemed a very good plan for most of the afternoon.

Alex lay in the dark bedroom in silence only broken by the gentle presence of air conditioning whispers. She was sure he would seek slumber elsewhere in the house and was content with the idea of being left to be. And it would make her mission far easier to complete.

22:19. Alex watched the LED figures transform as the minutes passed, her heart racing as she calculated an appropriate time to sneak out.

Three hours later and she was still wide-awake, both from the discomfort of apparently scorched shoulders and the adrenaline high of anticipation. John had never ventured into the bedroom and she held her breath as she padded over to the door and peered into the empty hallway.

Access to the lounge area was easy and possible detection simple to explain through thirst or hunger. But the path was clear, the lounge empty and only the low noise from the office disturbing the stillness. She glanced up towards the gentle glow from the open door where Scott had said he would again be keeping watch and then heard an unfamiliar voice. Unfamiliar in that she had not heard it as often, at least. The scientist. Alex smiled in delight, realising that this was at least one possible hiccup out of the way.

So where was John? Alex paused for a moment at the entrance to the lounge and frowned in frustration. If she met him elsewhere then she would have to think damned fast. Deciding it was a risk worth taking, she headed down into the lower levels.

* * *

It had taken Jeff hours to get to sleep. Penny lay in the gentle first light of dawn and watched him in his slumber. She had listened to his worries, offered what little advice she could and massaged the knots from his shoulders. Eventually he had succumbed to his exhaustion and had apparently stayed not only in the same position but blissfully snoring for most of the night.

Penny reached out and stroked her fingers along his cheek, smiling as he murmured appreciatively at her touch. Or was that just another snore? Her smile grew at the thought and she sighed in contentment.

Glancing at the clock, Penny carefully slid off of the bed and pulled on her robe. She took another long look at his peaceful form and stepped quietly from the room.

"Hey."

It was husked and half-asleep but it startled her nonetheless and she spun to see Alan trudging along the corridor.

"Oh, please." Alan yawned wearily, waving off her apparent alarm. "We all know you're banging the old man."

Penny stared at him in disbelief.

"And we think it's cool." Alan added with a bleary-eyed grin and continued out towards the lounge.

Penny watched him disappear and was lost in bewilderment. The long awaited surrender to the inevitable union that had her walking on air one moment and fretting over the next had been reduced to the vulgar analogies of a teenager.

And then she smiled. "Cool." She whispered into the empty corridor and her smile grew.

Having found a coke and then collapsed on one of the couches, Alan seemed oblivious to her as she wandered into the lounge. Penny smiled as she saw that, unopened can in hand, he had actually fallen back to sleep there and she wondered if perhaps his sleepwalking days of early childhood had returned. The thought hung in her mind as she ascended the ramp and headed towards the office.

"Hey there." Scott smiled merrily and glanced at his watch, evidently pleased to discover that time had passed faster than he had imagined.

"Any news?" Penny wandered inside the office and headed round the desk to look at the computer terminal.

"Oh, man!" Scott sighed, "It took ages to convince John to let me take over from him."

"Oh."

"Yeah, he and Brains were deep into some shit about something or other and I'm sure had been drinking way too much caffeine. I mean, they talk fast and crazy at the best of times but …" Scott saw the concern filling Penny's eyes and trailed off.

"Did you speak to her?"

"Just. It was a close one. They'd only just left when she came through a little after 3am."

"And?"

"She wants to help." Scott nodded, "She gave me co-ordinates of a safe place for you guys to meet."

Penny considered this for a moment.

"You can call in some back-up, check out the place, have some protection just in case." Scott offered, "And maybe we ought to run it by Dad."

"Already have." Penny smiled. "Plan A: Eva. Plan B: Dr Hawthorne."

Scott nodded slowly. "Plan C: both of the above."

"Mmm." Penny combed her fingers through her hair and sighed. "We will see. He seemed fairly normal yesterday evening."

"He was lost in a world of scientific mutterings with Brains." Scott laughed.

"And Brains seemed to think he was fine?"

"I'm sorry? Just whom are we consulting regarding normalcy now? The man's a crazy on-another-planet genius!"

Penny smiled fondly and shrugged agreement.

Scott stood and arched his back, stiffened from sitting too long in the same position. "Nah, you're right. This place did kinda feel back to usual last night. Even the annoying return of junior shithead and his 'I'm so full of it' was strangely welcome."

Penny giggled at the memory. "Now who would have thought that childish bickering would be so very missed?"

Scott paused at her comment and regarded her in suspicion. "You insulting me?"

Penny laughed loudly. "God, would I even _dare_!" She retorted and wandered from the office.

Alan was still sprawled out over the sofa and Penny yawned as she watched his peaceful dreaming. She headed down the ramp and was surprised to then see John heading in through the glass doors.

John glanced up at her. "Morning." John whispered, nodding a smile towards his slumbering brother.

Penny returned the greeting and followed him into the kitchen.

John pointed to the kettle and turned to watch Penny nod an affirmative. He sought out the teabags, wincing as he reached up into the cupboard.

Penny watched him press a hand against his side and she reached out to touch his arm, noting his small smile of gratitude and reassurance.

"Just a bit stiff." John explained quietly.

Realisation dawned on Penny and she glanced out towards the pool.

"Guess I drifted off while star gazing."

Penny watched him avoiding her gaze but could still see in his tired face the rest of the story that he was not telling her. She let it go and smiled a reply.

John poured their tea and gestured for her to follow him outside. He sat down on the bench that had evidently been his bed for the night and waited for her to perch beside him.

"Sorry about yesterday." John began after a moment, a brief smile brushing across his pale features. "I think … well … Dad suggested talking to Bob Hawthorne."

Penny listened in silence.

"I think perhaps I ought to." He watched her nodding and confusion darkened his face. "At least, I think …"

Penny placed her hand on his arm and smiled up at him. "You need to talk to someone, John. Anyone would … if they had been through what you have." She squeezed his arm gently, "It is not a failure to ask for help."

John contemplated this for a minute and sipped at his tea. "I don't think I do need help, though. I just want everyone to get off my case."

Penny's heart sank.

"There's nothing wrong with me. And the sooner you all acknowledge that, the sooner we can all move on."

Penny watched him in silence, realising that Plan A was perhaps exactly what he needed.

* * *

Jeff rubbed at weary eyes and slowly sat up. He leaned back against the headrest and sighed heavily.

"I am sorry." Penny offered again.

Jeff yawned and shook his head slowly. "No. You were right to wake me." He rubbed his face with his hands and groaned. "It's worse than we thought, then."

Penny nodded.

"There's no way he'll go with you to see her. And he'll be suspicious if we try to coax him off island." Jeff contemplated aloud. "Short of drugging him, I guess the only thing is to bring her here."

"And the other boys?"

"I'll have to get them off the scene somehow." Jeff shrugged, "Give John and Eva some space." He pondered on the idea for a moment. "I could send two of them to go and pick Bob up."

"Mmm."

"And your story?"

"Clothes." Penny replied.

Jeff grinned, "Good one."

"For Alex." Penny tutted, swatting his arm playfully. "She cannot keep wearing his old jogging trousers. I mean … assuming she is staying a while longer."

"Of course. She stays until it's safe for her to venture out." Jeff replied quickly, "Any idea how long that might be?"

"Our team is on the case. Parker has been keeping tabs but it is a big operation to co-ordinate and we still need to find a few more players." Penny sighed wearily and snuggled down beside him, resting her head in his lap. "I will be glad when this is all over."

Jeff stroked his hands through her hair and over her shoulders. "Yeah …"

* * *

Alex wandered out into the apparently empty lounge and then smiled in greeting as she caught sight of Onaha clearing away what was left of lunch.

"We thought it best to leave you sleeping." Onaha offered, hurrying over to her. "Lady Penelope told us of your tumble on the beach yesterday." She began, peering at the bruising. "How do you feel now?"

"Fine." Alex nodded. "Thank you."

"I was worried when you never came in for supper and they told me I fuss too much." Onaha sighed, "But look! I had cause to be worried."

"No, I'm okay." Alex smiled, glancing around for a change of topic. "Hey, where is everyone?"

"Lady Penelope went to the mainland to go shopping and the boys are all on the beach." Onaha replied, "Well, all except John." She nodded up towards the office and sighed.

Alex shrugged slightly, "It is his job."

"Hmm. It can be shared while he is here." Onaha retorted, mumbling something under her breath as she turned back to the kitchen.

Alex followed her, grabbing a plate and some of the left over food. She sat down at the table and munched on a sandwich, aware of Onaha still mumbling about John needing to be looked after. Glancing up towards the office, Alex considered going up to talk to him and frowned in thought. A shrill, now familiar alarm then suddenly ended all possibility of a chat and she continued with her lunch, knowing that to do anything else would only be a nuisance.

_**All personnel to command and control. All personnel to command and control.**_

Brains was the first to respond, tearing up from somewhere deep inside the complex, flushed and gasping. A few minutes later and the rest of the family burst into the lounge, leaving a thin trail of sand in their wake.

Alex listened to what she could make out of the hurried orders and continued with her lunch. There was the sound of elevators whirring into life and then silence for a moment.

The warning claxon heralding imminent movement of the pool was shortly followed by automatic closing of the lounge doors and Alex watched in amazement as the bright blue and silver rocket ascended from deep within the mountain. A cloud of grey smoke hung beyond the doors long after the deep booming roar of the engines had faded and Alex shook her head in wonder.

"It is impressive." Onaha agreed, "No matter how many times I see it."

Alex nodded in enthusiastic agreement.

"And then I start praying."

Alex looked up at Onaha's worried face but she then shrugged and returned to her cleaning. Turning back to the now dissipating smoke cloud, Alex could make out a familiar shadowy figure approaching from beyond the pool and she watched in interest.

Penny entered the code to unlock the lounge doors and hurried inside. She shot Alex a smile of greeting and nodded firmly.

Alex abandoned what remained of her lunch and her eyes followed Penny's dash up to the office. There had been so much conveyed in a simple smile and nod; Penny's expression spoke of confirmation, reassurance and yet also a slight trepidation. Alex turned back to look out by the pool and was unsurprised as Parker ascended the steps up from the beach. And he was not alone.

The strengthening breeze had blown away all remnants of smoke and Alex watched the pair perch on one of the poolside benches, evidently waiting for the all clear from Penny. But, with a mission now in progress, that might be a while yet.

Alex stood and began towards the open doors to greet the guest but halted suddenly as she watched the woman looking around in interest. Her head spinning and her heart racing, Alex backed up and retreated into the protective shadows of the corridor.

Alex closed her eyes and forced her breathing to slow. "Oh crap." She breathed into the empty hallway. "Be wrong … please be wrong …"

* * *

John watched the trailing locator IDs as the two craft sped across the American mainland. With a frown, he recalled Penny's strange behaviour of a few minutes ago. She had wanted information on the rescue, which was understandable. Parker had been forced to make a beach approach to avoid the flight paths of the rapidly launching rescue craft and John had guessed that Penny would make a beeline for him to find out more details.

It wasn't that. There was something more. Something unspoken in her anxious face. Turning his focus back to the unfolding mission and deciding that all other worries needed to take a back seat, John shook his head clear and called up a satellite image of the danger zone. The tanker was still, the bow unusually high in the water and the stern submerged. The first signs of an inevitable black slick of oil were spreading out like a dark cloud over the surrounding sea where the ruptured vessel was spilling its guts out into the water.

John checked again the approach of the two craft and sighed in relief, Scott was crossing the Canadian Rockies and not five minutes out with the others close behind. Opening the comm. to report as much to both the panicked crew of the rock-grounded vessel and the civilian rescue craft already on the scene, John saw again the brief flicker of interference and sighed in annoyance. Everything was running a little slower and John reminded himself to run a diagnostic on the systems once the rescue was complete and he could chance the potential pause that the investigative programme may cause.

He had told Brains of the running glitch and the scientist had been about to run through the systems just moments before the call had then come through. And now Brains was aboard Thunderbird 2, his expertise needed with the rapid control of spreading oil. With the recent updates to the craft and Five not yet converted, there was no back-up programme to access and so, making a mental note to sort out the problem as soon as possible, John worked as best he could with the nanosecond of delay in the processing power.

"Base from Thunderbird 1."

"Yeah, Scott."

"John, are you testing remote access, or something?"

"Huh? No."

"She's real stiff today." Scott continued, anxiety obvious in his quiet voice. "She doesn't feel quite – shit!"

"What?" John demanded urgently.

"John, I just lost control! I'm changing course! She's not responding! John!"

John's heart was racing as he watched the blue locator ID making a sharp right turn and suddenly Thunderbird 1 was racing down the East coast.

"John? What the hell?" Scott called out in a panic.

"I don't know!" John replied urgently, "I'm working on it!" He moved along to a separate console and called up Thunderbird 1s schematics, his throat tightening as he saw the first indicators of what looked like a viral infection jumbling the code. "Oh god …" He groaned.

"Base from Thunderbird 2."

John closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable words from Virgil's anxious voice. When they came, his only reply was to insist on speaking with Brains and perhaps spoken a little too harshly.

"Shut down the EM programme." Brains ordered hurriedly.

John quickly accessed the new sub-routine, ordering a complete stop and waiting for a response.

"Well?" Brains urged.

"Nothing." John gasped, "It's not even acknowledging me. Brains, what's wrong with it?"

"I d-d-d-don't know." Came the quiet reply, "It's the only mod-mod-mod-change I've recently made. I'm guessing."

John nodded in understanding, trying to stay calm and ignore the panicked chaos on the flight deck that he could hear in the background.

"Base from Thunderbird 1."

"Scott?" John swung back to the other comm. and the location map, frowning in confusion.

"I've stopped."

John peered closer at the map, his hand trembling as he reached out to touch the screen.

"John?" Scott continued, his voice thin and shaken. "Oh god, John … I'm hovering over the fucking Whitehouse."

_Tbc …_


	9. Chapter 9

Alex watched the three of them talking quietly out by the pool. She was too far from them to make out their words and lip reading was hard when they kept insisting on turning away from her. She stayed in the shadows, trying to decide what to do. Onaha's appearance at the end of the corridor then startled her and she saw the kind woman jump slightly in equal surprise.

"What are you doing lurking back here!" Onaha chuckled, pressing her hand against her chest as she calmed her nerves.

"Who is that?" Alex nodded towards the pool area.

Onaha frowned and glanced behind her. "I believe one of Jeff's doctor friends from the mainland." She smiled slightly, "For John."

"I thought that was a man?"

"Perhaps he couldn't come and this is another." Onaha's concern grew, "Are you alright?"

Alex forced a smile and nodded an affirmative.

Onaha seemed to want to ask more but then shrugged and headed off into the hall. "What _is_ that husband of mine up to …?"

Alex watched her disappear from sight and then turned back to the pool scene. Her heart leapt as she watched Penny stand and she saw her chance.

Penny strode across to the kitchen, smiling a greeting as Alex appeared. "Come join us." She offered lightly, "Want some tea?"

Alex hurried up beside her and grabbed her arm. "Who is that?" She whispered urgently.

Penny laughed and glanced up at the closed office door, "Why, Eva, of course!" She answered quietly.

"I've seen her before."

"Indeed you have. She was at the RAF base in London."

"Oh … oh yeah …" Alex considered this, her face calming and the first hint of a relieved smile appearing. But she then gasped and shook her head. "No. There was so much going on that day. It's not then that I remember her from it's … god, I can't quite …" She closed her eyes, "It's before …"

Penny stopped and took in Alex's worried expression. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know." Alex groaned, "I just …" She sighed and shook her head. "There's something …"

Penny waited for her to continue, her trepidation growing.

Alex then shuddered with the arrival of further dread. "Oh shit, Penny! Can you get me access to the police network?"

"I have already done several background checks. You cannot think -"

"Please? I can't explain. I just …" She saw the doubt in Penny's eyes and nodded eagerly, her gaze then drifting back out to the woman chatting with Parker.

"Okay." Penny agreed, too intrigued now. She led Alex through to the hall into the main house and hurried to Jeff's bedroom.

Alex perched on the end of the as yet unmade double bed and watched Penny pull a small laptop computer from one of the bedside cabinets.

"Being an operative does give me a few privileges, even here." Penny commented as she switched on the laptop and sat beside Alex. "Including being able to uplink to the IR network without going through the main systems."

Alex nodded, "I know. Scott showed me."

Penny recalled the covert operation out to her car to get a private message out to Eva and shook her head. "It feels wrong to sneak about … but … with John the way he is … well, let us not give him any more cause to freak out."

"Mmm." Alex agreed, "Here's hoping."

Penny uploaded the files and passed the computer to Alex.

Alex paused suddenly, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Accessing this won't betray my whereabouts, will it?"

Penny smiled, "Not with the quadrillioned firewall system that Brains has created."

Taking a deep breath, Alex located the Scotland Yard database and worked her way inside. Entering Eva's details brought up a confirmed CIA-linked file and she frowned in confusion.

"There." Penny breathed a sigh of relief.

Alex shook her head slowly and entered in more commands. She copied the standard corporate photograph from the file and split the image, opening several new programs and entering the data into multiple searches. The screen darkened and small white text asking them to wait a moment appeared, the shadowy data behind blurring as thousands of images scrolled across the screen.

"Honestly." Penny offered gently, "I have already checked and double checked."

Alex shrugged a response and watched the screen in silence. The result then arrived with a bleep that startled them both and they huddled over the laptop to see the words 'NO MATCH' glaring up at them.

Penny smiled and turned to Alex. "Feel better now?"

Alex shook her head and groaned in frustration. "I can't explain it … I just …" She closed her eyes and frowned as she tried to think back and find whatever it was that was shouting a warning in her mind.

"Listen," Penny slipped an arm around Alex's shoulders and hugged her briefly. "It has been a tough time for all of us. The lines are easily blurred and stress can make you see all kinds of - "

"I'm not making this up!" Alex argued suddenly, shrugging free of Penny's embrace. "There's something about her that's not right! I just can't – oh crap!" Alex groaned angrily and put aside the laptop to stand from the bed. She held her head in her hands and sighed loudly. "I wish I could remember … I've seen her before … I _know_ it …"

Penny watched Alex in concern. "Maybe you saw a file on her or …" She shrugged her shoulders, "Your DCI was working with MI5 and they with her. Perhaps the link is there."

Alex shook her head, "I wasn't party to all that. I only discovered all that _after_ I'd met _you_. And the DCI's links with you guys and everything else is something that's only making sense _now_!" She turned and laughed gently, "God, I even thought he was working with the enemy at one point – whoever that might be." Her smile grew and she shook her head in amusement. "I wasn't exactly at my best when I first got into all this. Completely oblivious to everything around me. That's why I'm just a glorified traffic warden and not some great detective!"

"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself." Penny countered softly.

Alex's smile faded. "You know … I wish I could turn back time." She turned away from Penny's sympathetic frown and looked out at the bright day beyond the window. "Know John as I did at first and be blissfully unaware of all of this … or maybe … maybe even go back to before that …"

Penny got to her feet and crossed the slight distance to place her hand on Alex's shoulder. "You don't mean that."

"Don't I?"

"No." Penny assured firmly. "Because you love him."

Tears welled in Alex's eyes and she bit down on her trembling lower lip to keep the threatening sobs at bay.

"God, I'm so sorry." Penny sighed, "But I had no choice but to tell you. You had to change your statement. Jeff was under arrest and …" She stepped closer. "You know, John said the very same thing."

Alex turned back to her.

"He was happy in the knowledge that you had no idea who he was and he could just be himself." Penny continued, "He was angry with me for bringing you into all this."

Alex placed her hand over Penny's, "But, like you said, you had no choice. I saw Thunderbird 1 attack the convoy and …"

Penny watched her pause and saw the colour drain from her face.

"Oh my god …" Alex murmured. "_Convoy_ …"

"What?"

Alex flew back to the laptop and hurriedly typed in more commands, watching the screen with dread. She scrolled through the images that appeared and then spun back to Penny, confusion and fear filling her pale face.

Penny crossed back to join her and hardly dared look at the file. Her heart was pounding as Alex turned the laptop round for her to see the answer and she took in the information.

"They said he had to be accompanied because of the sedation." Alex explained quietly, her voice trembling. "We never gave it a second thought."

Penny stepped a little closer and stared at the hospital personnel file.

"They said she was killed when the prison van crashed." Alex continued. "I guess that's why the files were never linked. She shouldn't exist."

Penny sat down heavily on the bed beside Alex and groaned in dismay as she stared at the photograph. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "It's an alias." She then offered softly. "She must have been there to ensure his incarceration."

"Yeah." Alex scoffed, "And how bloody convenient!"

Penny looked back up at Alex and shook her head slowly. "It has to be …" She groaned and her face crumpled with the sudden threat of tears. "Not possible …"

"Oh please!" Alex countered with sarcasm, "After everything that's happened, you really want to chance it? No bloody way! She was there, Pen! She was with the Hood in London and again in Kazakhstan! And look at the _name_!"

Penny blinked away tears and again shook her head.

Alex groaned in annoyance and stood quickly. She gasped as Penny grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "Pen, she's out there and she's - "

Penny nodded silently.

Alex watched her with growing dread and tried to prize her wrist free of her tight grasp. "Let go of me! You're hurting me!"

Penny quickly released her grip, raising her hands in an apology.

Alex clutched at her smarting wrist and edged back warily towards the door.

"Alex, wait! If this is true," Penny nodded back at the file on display. "She could be very dangerous."

Alex paused respectfully, praying that Penny could solve all this in a heartbeat.

Penny took her phone from her jacket pocket and her hands were shaking as she dialled a number. She looked back up at Alex and held her worried gaze as she waited for a response.

"Parker, it's me, don't say anything. Take her out."

Penny closed the phone and stood quickly. She told Alex to stay put, husked a few profanities and hurried out into the hall.

Parker was hotfooting it across the lounge in her direction, flushed and breathless as they almost collided into one another.

Penny peered behind him and saw the crumpled body lying out beside the pool.

"You want to explain just what the bloody hell is going on?" Parker demanded in a fluster, "M'lady." He added quickly.

Penny shook her head, "There is no time." She nodded towards the unconscious form beyond the doors. "Make sure she is secure." She ordered hurriedly and stepped past him to fly up the ramp towards the office. "Quickly, Parker!"

"Yes, m'lady!" Parker agreed, moving into the kitchen to find something to use to tie up their apparent hostage.

Penny flew up the ramp, almost tripping in her haste, and hurried inside. "John, we have a serious problem!" She blurted in a panic.

John looked up and seemed to laugh in response.

Penny took in his pale, tearstained face and his heavy lean on the console and hurried forward. "God, what's wrong?"

_Tbc …_


	10. Chapter 10

John held his head in his trembling hands. His brain was throbbing with the mother of all headaches and his body was numb, frozen. Despite the calls coming in from his panicking family trapped within possessed Thunderbirds, the only thought that seeped through the chaos was 'so this is what it's like to have a total breakdown'.

It wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. He began to rock back and forth in his chair, reciting this new mantra over and over. It wasn't happening.

Chancing a peek out through parted fingers, John took in the locator maps and heard the incoming transmissions repeating the same confused, worried questions. He closed his eyes again tightly and covered his ears.

And then he knew. Knew with all certainty what had happened. It was so obvious. How could he be so stupid? He fitted the pieces together and saw the completed picture clearly in his mind. He sat up straight, ignored the noise around him and tried to follow the logical path through to find a way to solve the problem.

The answer came quickly. It would not be easy but it was the only way. He stood from his chair and gasped as trembling legs almost gave way beneath him. Groaning in dismay, he took a few uneven steps and then resigned to leaning against the bank of screens behind him.

Now this was a problem. Somewhere between knowing what he had to do and doing it was the small matter of a tired body that had been battered and broken and might not be capable of much more than sinking to the floor. Which was odd, given that he had actually felt much better that morning.

He paused there against the console, trying to figure a way round this new obstacle. And then he was aware of a strange wetness on his face. He licked at the moisture that tickled as it passed his lips and tasted the saltiness of tears.

How annoying. Brushing away the tears and telling himself to stop being so childish, he moved closer to the security substation and called up images from various cameras nestled within the complex.

And then the office door opened.

"John, we have a serious problem!" Penny blurted in a panic.

John couldn't help but laugh at what seemed the understatement of the century.

Penny took in his pale, tearstained face and his heavy lean on the console and hurried forward. "God, what's wrong?"

John tried to put his thoughts into words but it came out in an incoherent jumble, interspersed with the odd unstoppable sob.

"What?" Penny urged, stepping up onto the central platform and following John's gaze at the various computer screens. She then heard the frightened, garbled messages coming in from the Thunderbirds and she shook her head in disbelief. Slapping the transmit button on the comm. she called out to Jeff for some sort of explanation.

"Pen!" Jeff calmed at her voice and paused for a moment. "Pen, where's John? We lost contact."

Penny turned and watched John moving away from the console, shaking his head in despair. She turned back to the static-blurred image of Jeff and tears stung her eyes as she saw Virgil and Gordon scrambling in the background, hitting at the control panels. "Jeff, what's going on?"

"We … uh … we lost control of the craft a short while ago. Some sort of remote access, Brains tells me." Jeff began quietly, cringing as Virgil kicked at one of the hardware junctions behind him and cried out in pain and anger.

Penny watched Jeff turn from the camera and plead with his sons to please get hold of themselves. She then glanced at the location map and her heart sank.

"Scott's positioned over the Whitehouse and we're in stationary hover high above the Pentagon." Jeff continued, apparently finding it hard to believe the words himself. "There's been no contact from anyone. We don't know who or why or what the game plan is."

Penny looked across and saw John in the corner of the room, sinking down to his knees on the floor.

"I tried contacting you a moment ago and couldn't get through. Whatever is happening must have affected the entire network." Jeff sighed loudly, "God, Pen, I've been thinking the worst."

Penny closed her eyes and tried to calm her thoughts. Deciding that Jeff didn't need to know that she had brought a possible enemy into his home, she looked back up at the comm. and offered what she hoped was a reassuring nod. "I'll sort it, Jeff."

A brief smile washed over Jeff's weary face. "Brains thinks it must be the new components we fitted. He says there's a way to re-route the controls but he can't get through from here." Jeff frowned in concern. "We need John. Where is he?"

"Here." _Sort of_, she added internally and swallowed back the lump in her throat. "He is a little busy." She smiled thinly, "In the meantime, get Brains on the line. He can talk me through it."

"Roger that."

Penny left the comm. link open and then moved to the adjoining terminal. "Scott?"

"Hey, Pen. Thank god!"

Penny took in the sight of pale, frightened Scott and did not like the image one little bit.

"Any news?" Scott asked as calmly as he could.

"We are on the case."

"John?"

"Working on trying to sort out this mess." Penny smiled, unable to tell if her words sounded convincing.

"Pen …"

"Yeah?"

"Pen, I'm sitting over the Whitehouse with a whole arsenal nestled inside the underbelly."

"I know."

Scott closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out in a trembling sigh. "Okay … okay … I guess the fact that I haven't fired yet is a good thing."

"We will get you out of there." Penny cleared her tight throat, seeing the fear in his eyes and feeling her heart sink. "Promise."

"Base from Thunderbird 2?"

Penny moved back to the other terminal. "Tell me what to do, Brains."

"Shut it down!" Brains ordered quickly, "Close all the connections and lock out the computer."

"But - "

"There's a signal! Hidden inside our own transmissions." Brains continued rapidly, "Sever all the links and reboot from Five."

"But … how - "

"Just _do _it!"

Penny recoiled slightly at his sudden, out of character shout and glanced at an apparently also malfunctioning John.

"Pen," Brains sighed an apology, "Listen, whatever is c-c-c-corrupting our system is well fire walled and I can't access the mainframe from here. The ships are c-c-c-networked through the island computers and maybe if you break the link we can regain control."

"But what if it doesn't work?"

"John will know what to do."

And now she had no choice. "Brains, John is … " She shook her head slowly.

"I see." Brains nodded in understanding. "Then call my son."

Penny considered this for a moment.

"Shut it down Penny. Shut it all down. Now."

Penny closed her eyes and held her breath as she closed the transmission and entered in the sequence of commands. Three of the computer terminals before her flickered for a moment and then the comm. went dark.

The command and control centre was suddenly quiet. Penny dared not breath.

She watched the blackened terminals for what seemed an age and then one by one the stand-by logo flipped up onto the screens, password prompts flashing expectantly. She breathed a sigh of relief, entered the code and saw the island systems come back online. Not daring to send a signal out in case the corruption was re-sent with it, Penny guessed she could only wait for an incoming message. She turned to look at John and stood to hurry over to him.

"Should have seen it." John whispered to no one in particular. "Should have seen it."

Penny knelt before him and rested her hands on his shoulders. "John?"

"Should have known better than to base any reliance on undefined parameters." John continued quietly. "Illogical frames of reference with no scientific basis. Facts. Facts. Only ever believe the facts."

Penny blinked away tears and leaned in closer to him, trying to make eye contact but his gaze was distant, unfocused.

"Facts. Facts." John repeated insistently, "All else is irrelevant, fictional, biased. Only facts matter."

"John?" Penny urged, "You are not making any sense."

"Sense. Sensible. Nonsense." John mumbled and then suddenly laughed, "Makes sense now, doesn't it? Too late. Too late."

"John? Please …"

"Should have seen it." John stated again, a little louder this time, and suddenly seemed to acknowledge Penny's presence. He glanced at her and nodded. "Too much coincidence."

"What is?"

"Told him. Told him. Irrational use of important time. Didn't listen. Then there's the law enforcement links and the sudden transfer and the convoy." John shook his head in dismay. "Should have seen it."

Penny watched his agitation increasing and had never felt quite so out of her depth. She looked around the office for some sort of inspiration but came up empty.

"Convenient coincidences." John mumbled, "Conspiracies, plots, tactics, strategies."

"Okay, enough now." Penny gripped his shoulders and shook him gently. "I need you back now, John. You hear me?"

"NO!" John shrugged her off and clambered to his feet, swaying groggily as he stood upright. He stumbled and fell backwards, thudding against the wall with a groan.

Penny hurried to help steady him, ensuring he was safe in his leaning position beside the end of the window shielding.

"First the inclusion of the leader, then the change of account, then suddenly there in the darkness, then the new player and then the coded transmission." John continued wearily, closing his eyes and groaning softly.

"What?" Penny urged, "What are you trying to tell me?"

John looked up at her and was suddenly focused and calm. "Alex." He stated evenly, "Alex is evil."

Penny wanted to laugh.

"It's my fault." John continued, closing his eyes. "It's all my fault. Never should have let down the barriers. Stupid. Stupid!" He groaned and began to bang his head against the wall.

"Hey!" Penny grabbed the back of his head to stop him hurting himself and could feel more tears gathering. "John?"

John opened his eyes and turned to face her.

"Stop this. Please? I need you here."

A frown grew over John's troubled eyes. "Okay." He whispered in reply.

"Good. Now. Tell me. Why is Alex evil?"

John choked on a sob and again closed his eyes, his mouth trembling. "She - " he cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "She doesn't add up."

Penny waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts.

"It made no sense before and now it does and I should have seen it but I let things go because of some irrational emotions and now look what's happened. It's all gone wrong and I should have seen it – or maybe I did and I ignored it. I just don't know any more." John blurted out suddenly, his words barely parted enough to decipher.

"Okay." Penny moved before him and rested her hands on his shoulders, nodding in gentle reassurance. "Slowly. What's wrong?"

"She has links with the bad guys, Pen."

"What makes you think so?"

"She was in the convoy when - " John closed his eyes, shuddering as if even thinking the name caused him physical pain. "And she was there." He closed his eyes tighter, his body trembling. "There in the darkness. I thought I was dreaming but …" The first tears escaped and he hung his head.

Penny leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. "Oh honey … your mind is blurring the facts. You are not thinking straight."

"No?" John reached into his pocket and pulled out one of their modified wristwatches. "She took it off so I wouldn't know. Couldn't find her."

Penny took the sandy watch from him and turned it over in her hands, remembering Alex's surprise when she had told her about the locator chip and for a moment seeing her interest in a whole new light. And then she suddenly laughed. "She went for a swim! John, she took it off to go in the sea. I was with her!"

John nodded slowly. "Fine." He was suddenly upright and shoved her back from him. He pushed away from the wall and wiped his face with his hands as he hurried back to the central platform.

Penny followed him slowly, watching him hastily access the security feed that had remained online.

"There was an unauthorised transmission this morning."

Penny nodded, thinking back to helping Alex log on to the police network. She stepped up beside him and peered at the video feed, ready to quickly explain. Her heart then thudded against her chest as she saw the image and watched in confusion as she beheld the island runway. The floodlit footage showed her car and then focused in on the single occupant within.

John watched the film replay and turned to Penny, seeing the same horror in her face that he knew all too well.

"Who did she call?"

"MI5 London."

"And?"

"The message itself was too well scrambled."

Penny closed her eyes and recalled Alex watching Scott log on to the secure network on the car's terminal. And the excuse she had quickly devised when John had confronted her. "She called to check on her mother."

John shook his head slowly, "She was on the police band, Pen. In London. When we were hiding." John urged, strangely calm all of a sudden. "I defended her. I believed her. I told my brothers they were wrong about her."

"But …" Penny looked up into his sincere face and saw the anger waiting in his eyes. "I don't understand …"

"Neither do I. But you can't argue with facts."

Penny watched him as he turned back to the security footage and her heart sank. He was so certain. And so composed now. And a chill ran through her.

"He must have got to her." John shrugged, "It was all planned, right from the beginning." He turned back to Penny and smiled thinly, "Maybe it was the chance meeting it first seemed to be but … she's working for him now."

Penny had a flash of inspiration and suddenly smiled, desperate to prove him wrong. "But he's dead!"

"You willing to bet your life on that?"

And Penny had no reply.

"Where is she now?" John asked after a moment.

Penny groaned in dismay. "In your father's room." And then she gasped at the prospect of that and the hardware she had left in her company. She leapt down from the central platform and sped to the door.

The heavy, reinforced steel was hard to yank open quickly and she cursed in frustration as she made her way out of command and control. "Parker!" She called out frantically, guessing she would need his assistance.

Penny reached the top of the ramp and peered down through the lounge. Her eyes fell on the still form lying half hidden at the entrance to the kitchen and recognised with sadness the familiar grey suit of her driver and friend. She then acknowledged the absence of the guest they had brought onto the island and she groaned in fury before spinning back into the office.

John had switched to the current feed from the security cameras and suddenly stared in silent horror.

Penny knew instantly whom he had found. "We thought she could help you." Penny began, running to his side. "But I think I may have made a terrible mistake." She peered at the footage and watched the woman creeping along the corridor.

John glanced at her and sighed wearily; evidently very much wishing he was someone else right then. Penny could well understand the sentiment and then looked down at the current action within the house.

_Finding the open door to Jeff's bedroom and peering inside, the woman smiled and changed direction._

John changed camera feed and the new angle brought from the other end of the corridor showed a closer image from behind her as she stepped into the room.

She seemed to be saying something and John flicked on the sound, waiting in silent dread. He felt Penny slip her fingers around his own and he squeezed her hand tightly.

Penny held her breath as she then made out Alex's legs in the top of the shot. She had evidently been standing at the window, waiting there just as she had been ordered and for a moment Penny saw a glimmer of hope that John was definitely wrong.

_Alex turned and walked slowly into view, her expression unreadable as she stepped towards the visitor._

_The visitor paused and seemed to laugh gently. "Thank you, Alex."_

_Tbc …_


	11. Chapter 11

Penny held her breath as she then made out Alex's legs in the top of the shot. She had evidently been standing at the window, waiting there just as she had been ordered and for a moment Penny saw a glimmer of hope that John was wrong.

_Alex turned and walked slowly into view, her expression unreadable as she stepped towards the visitor._

_The visitor paused and seemed to laugh gently. "Thank you, Alex."_

Penny gasped in horror and collapsed into a nearby chair. She let her head fall into her hands and cursed under her breath. When she dared glance back up at the feed, she saw Alex frowning in confusion and Penny met John's cautious glance.

"_What?" Alex asked after a moment._

_Another gentle laugh. "It was your idea to call me, was it not?"_

_Alex watched her in wary silence._

"_I had hoped John would call for a chat at some stage but I was most surprised when the contact came so soon. I wasn't quite ready."_

"_I … I don't understand." Alex said quietly._

Penny slid closer, intrigued by Alex's reservation and feeling again a flutter of hope somewhere deep inside.

"_Your concern for him opened the door for me."_

Alex seemed troubled by this. Penny moved even closer to the screen, a smile chancing at her lips.

"_I needed the new transmission frequency for the network. I got it when Scott's call came through."_

_Alex covered her mouth in shock, shaking her head in disbelief._

"YES!" Penny cheered in triumph, "I knew it! I just _knew _it!" She grabbed John's arm and hugged it against her chest in delight.

John managed a small smile but still seemed somewhat unconvinced, watching the scene continue to play out before them.

"_Who are you …?" Alex asked quietly._

"_Oh, I saw the look on your face when you saw me arrive. You know who I am."_

"_Dr. Mishka Nazarenko. Supposedly deceased psychiatrist."_

"_Funny. You didn't recognise me just a few days ago. I was worried when I saw you there at RAF Northolt."_

"_I had other things on my mind."_

"_John?"_

_Alex paused._

"_Mmm … poor boy was in a bit of a mess when we'd finished with him."_

John made a sound like he had been kicked in the abdomen and retreated back from the console. He met the desk behind him with a gasp and perched there uneasily, his eyes tightly closed.

Penny was up out of her chair and at his side in an instant. She watched the memories passing in John's pain-filled face and gripped his arm tightly.

"_That's really rather sweet."_

Penny groaned as the woman's voice continued through the security feed.

"_You know, you were the only thing on his mind while I tortured him."_

"_No!" Alex cried out in horror._

Penny spun back and watched as Alex made a lunge for Eva/Mishka.

"Al?" John gasped and stared in disbelief as the two women grappled together. He stood and moved off the central platform towards the office door.

"No!" Penny grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

John spun at her in fury, shrugging from her grip.

"John!" Penny urged firmly.

"She's no match for her!" John argued, pointing at the screen.

"Neither are you."

"She'll be killed!"

Penny shook her head slowly. "No. She won't." She stepped in front of the screen to block his view and tried to ignore the sounds of the continuing fight. "Mishka will use her to get _you_."

John frowned in confusion.

"Think about it, John. Why is she here? Why would she need to be here during all this?" Penny urged carefully, "There must be something she needs from you. From the island."

John seemed to consider this for a moment.

"She already has the higher ground." Penny continued, "We cannot let her gain any more of an advantage." She turned and saw that, despite the continuing sounds of a struggle, the two women were no longer in camera shot.

"But, Pen … it's Al …" John argued in a whisper.

Penny looked back and saw the tears flowing freely down his pale face.

"I know." Penny looked away from his anguish, trying to keep a clear head. She switched cameras and found the fight, her heart racing as she saw that Alex had broken free and was making for John's bedroom.

She watched as Mishka caught up with Alex at the door to John's room and tackled her to the floor. Penny held her breath as a few well-placed punches then left Alex in a crumpled, worryingly still heap. And Penny could not help but be strangely relieved; she knew what Alex had been trying to get to and that would have made the situation a thousand times worse.

"Pen?"

Aware of John taking a seat behind her, Penny moved to keep his view of the terminal obscured. She couldn't chance him freaking out again. She watched Mishka checking on Alex and then standing to take in her surroundings. Penny then gasped and quickly switched cameras. "Where are the Belagants?" She urged worriedly, and then sighing as she found them talking together in their small separate studio.

On the video feed, Onaha and Kyrano jumped in startled surprise as Penny then called to them through the intercom.

"We have an intruder." Penny explained quickly, "Lock your door and stay there until further notice."

Kyrano's worried face appeared on the comm. camera feed and he seemed to want further information.

"Please." Penny urged, "I'll explain later." She saw Kyrano nod in agreement and she then entered a command into the central control, watching as the silent warning indicated island shut down. She imagined bulkheads closing and thick titanium doors sealing the island tight. And Mishka trapped inside.

Moving back to the security feed, Penny watched the Belagants bolting themselves safely within their apartment and then huddling together on the couch. She wished she could do the same and then shook the thought away, switching cameras and finding to her delight that Mishka was ensnared in the corridor between the safely locked bedrooms.

Penny smiled in satisfaction and then heard John gently crying behind her. Turning to him, the sight of him barely able to contain another imminent breakdown making her chest ache, she swallowed hard and stepped closer.

"I need you to re-establish the link. Get the Thunderbirds back."

John shook his head slowly.

Penny crouched before him and sought his gaze. "You can do it, John. I know you can."

"God, Al … how could I have thought - " John closed his eyes.

"John, stop it!" Penny shouted, needing to pull him back from the brink but wishing she didn't sound quite so harsh. "I need you focused."

John slowly looked up at her.

"Come on. Get them back. If Brains had fixed the problem, we would have heard something by now." Penny placed her hands on his knees and peered up into his tired eyes. "Please, John. I – _we_ need you." She watched him processing this and smiled in encouragement. "Brains said something about rebooting from Five …?"

John frowned slightly and then nodded. He sat up straight and guided his chair across to the control panel that was currently linked with the orbiting satellite. "Wait …" he yanked his hands back from the keyboard as if stung and shook his head suddenly. "No, that's what she would want me to do."

"What?" Penny urged, moving to his side.

"Brains said there was a signal hidden inside our transmissions. Only 1 and 2 were in comm. connection because I'm using these processors and not Five's." John explained distractedly, thinking it through aloud. "You were operating on a different frequency because you didn't want me to know what you were up to."

Penny cringed.

"You didn't know it, but you were safe-guarding one hell of a prize. When this thing went live, FAB1 – and subsequently your secure network – was protected by your sneaking around."

Penny wanted to protest but figured he was more than entitled to make his point.

"Cutting the comm. broke the link just as Brains said. If I integrate our systems with Five then I could open up the whole lot."

"And then she'd have it all."

John nodded. "Everything."

"So now what do we do?"

John shrugged, "Easy. First, we get your laptop and, with its state of the Hackenbacker art firewalls, find the signal, establish our own remote access and bring my family home."

Penny frowned.

"Like you said," John explained, "If they haven't found a way back then we have to assume they can't. I'm guessing that the virus had to destroy the processors on 1 and 2 in order to gain control. Now the link is down, they'll be stranded but they can't be subject to further commands."

"How can you know that?"

John shrugged and indicated the terminal linked to Five, "Because she would have done something by now."

Penny glanced at the screen and watched the virtual representation of busy multi-frequency scanners keeping watch on the world. The only current transmissions Five was keeping an eye on were those from the ongoing oil tanker disaster and she nodded in understanding.

"Then," John continued eagerly, "We seek out the source and destroy her fellow conspirators."

Penny noticed the delight that this part of the plan seemed to give John and shuddered slightly.

John then moved to another terminal and murmured approvingly. "You locked us down. Good work." He glanced back at her. "Where's your laptop?"

"In your father's room."

John smiled. "Closer than your car, at least."

Penny scoffed sarcastically, "That maybe so but it is also trapped behind three blast doors and a certain crazed lunatic."

"Not a problem." John shrugged, glancing up at the ceiling.

Penny followed his gaze in intrigue and then gasped. "Of course!" She hurried over to the couch and dragged it into the corner of the room. Kicking off her heels and climbing up onto the back of the couch, she could just reach the air-conditioning vent and lifted the panel.

"See you in a few." John called over merrily.

Penny grinned back at him. "I knew all those gymnastics classes would come in handy one day." She reached up and gripped the edges of the square hole in the ceiling, groaning slightly with the effort as she pulled herself up and secured her elbows on the rim. With a final heave she was up and into the duct.

John watched her disappear into the vent and his smile grew as he heard her muttering something about being glad of her recent healthy eating plan. He listened for a moment to the slight brushing rhythm of her crawling through the pipe above him and then turned his focus back to beginning to decipher the mess that had been made of the island's operating systems.

Somewhere in the back of his mind was the knowledge that he had all but lost his hold on his sanity for a while there and he knew he had not walked far from the edge of the abyss. But distraction worked like a charm. And as long as he ignored the fact that his soul mate was probably lying dead outside his bedroom, there was a chance he might continue to be of some use.

_Tbc …_


	12. Chapter 12

It was chaos. Jeff closed his eyes and hung his head. Despite his repeated pleas for calm, his frightened sons were at each other's throats yet again. Not that he blamed them. It had only been 17minutes since their rather unexpected course correction. But 12minutes of hovering helpless above the defence capital of the world was unnerving at best.

Glancing at Brains and seeing the scientist all but disappearing beneath the mess of open control panels and wires that once constituted the helm, Jeff stood and headed for the cargo bay.

All sense of what might be the cause of the fight was lost amid angry shouting and Jeff barked an order for silence over the noise.

"What the _hell_ is going on _now_?" He demanded wearily. "We're in enough of a fix without you turning on each other!"

Gordon released his grip on Virgil's collar and stepped back from him.

Virgil eyed his younger brother warily and sighed in relief as he was freed from his near chokehold against the hull.

Alan had evidently been attempting to separate the two of them and slowly removed his hands from their shoulders, satisfied that they would not go for each other in their father's presence.

"Well?" Jeff urged.

"Nothing." Alan replied quickly, "It was nothing. They - " he stopped himself and shrugged slightly. "We're a bit stressed out, is all."

Jeff couldn't help but smile. "No kidding."

"Any news?" Gordon ventured, knowing already that news would have been quickly relayed to them had it arrived.

Jeff wandered over to the three of them and, without a word, drew them all into a tight group embrace. "Boys … you've got the most brilliant mind in the universe working on a way to get us home. And Brains is fiddling with some wires." He smiled in delight as his sons laughed in unison.

"But why are we hanging here?" Alan asked quietly.

Jeff sighed and leaned back from them. "I only know what you know. The computer is fried, the controls locked out and the VTOL drive keeping us in a steady hover."

"Over the Pentagon." Gordon expanded, the atmosphere in the cargo bay becoming immediately tense.

"But with cloud cover and the anti-detection shield running, they can't see us." Jeff reminded him softly.

"How long can we maintain this before we run out of fuel?" Came Virgil's wary inquiry.

"A while yet." Jeff smiled, "Long enough for Brains and John to get us home." He noted the reaction that mentioning his second eldest caused and he shook his head slowly. "Is he what you were fighting about?"

The three of them looked down at the floor uneasily.

"Jeff!"

Jeff spun at the shout and his heart was pounding. It wasn't often that Brains used his first name. In fact it was only in dire emergencies. In an instant he was turning and running back to the flight deck, his sons close at his heels.

Brains looked up from his cross-legged position on the floor and his eyes spoke volumes.

"What?" Jeff ventured warily.

"Two's processor is b-b-b-irrevocably damaged." Brains began quietly, "But I've managed to up-link the terminal Alan pulled from Four." He glanced at the youngest brother and offered him a small smile of gratitude for the boy's idea. "But I can't get a s-s-s-message out. The virus is too virulent. All I've done is corrupt Four's hardware. If I had my laptop from the island, I might …" he shrugged his shoulders in surrender. It was too late for ifs and maybes. Way too late.

"What is it …?" Virgil urged shakily, "What aren't you telling us?"

The four of them watched in silence as Brains turned the terminal in his hands round to face them. They stared in confusion and dread at the scrambled mass of endlessly swirling data.

"The virus?" Alan gasped in awe and stepped closer.

Brains nodded sombrely.

"What's it doing?" Gordon asked, "It looks like it's writing code or …"

Brains closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "It's a sequence, running in s-s-s-gradually depreciating cycles." He looked back up and met their confused, expectant faces. "A countdown."

* * *

Scott wiped his face on his sleeve and blinked away the stinging sweat that crept into his eyes. It was damned hot in the belly of his jet and it had been an exhausting squeeze through the complexly designed fuselage to get there.

Now lying between the fuselage and the VTOL engine housing he was caught amid the warmth of the generators further in and the heat coming off the exhaust. The high temperature, claustrophobia and lack of air were all too familiar and memories of one of the least enjoyable stays aboard Five nagged at him.

He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and shook his head clear, wondering if it was actually a serious overlook in the design to put the tallest, most solid of the family in the narrowest, smallest rocket. He then smiled as he remembered the perilous navigation through the craft and wondered how the hell Brains managed to effect repairs. Then he remembered the sprite little robots Brains had created. And Fermat.

The thought of Fermat wriggling his way up through the stationary rocket like some chimney sweep's pet of yesteryear caused Scott to chuckled merrily and for moment he forgot his predicament.

His patience had lasted roughly 8 minutes. And that was a world-beating record. When comm.s had then been cut off, he had not been able to sit in the helpless inevitability of his disabled 'Bird.

There could be no doubting the intentions of whomever it was that had gained control of his powerful craft. He was sitting above the clouds over possibly the most important house in the world (save his family's island paradise, of course) and there were many varied, equally unpleasant, ways that he could be used to bring it to the ground.

Disabling the EM generator had done nothing except hopefully eliminate the possibility of frying all the electronic equipment in the house below him. His father had said something about a virus before comm.s had gone and his fiddling around in the circuitry beneath the helm had shorted the control panel. Scott cursed at the memory and then again reminded himself that it could have been worse; he could have dropped from the sky and caused a whole heap of trouble. Not to mention a national disaster.

But the idea of dropping from the sky had pestered him relentlessly. And dangerous as it may be, a few minutes ago an idea had formed.

It was crazy. And stood a very high probability of getting him killed. But somewhere between rational thought and this moment was the notion that this might work.

And he figured he was dead however he looked at it. Better by his own hand at least.

And so this was the plan: rip open the VTOL exhaust manifold and block the fuel line. The engine would reduce power and he'd sink below cloud level and into visibility. The Air Force would launch fighters and he could somehow signal a mayday.

Or they'd simply shoot him from the sky.

If it worked, he'd be hailed a genius. If it didn't, at least he'd not be around to face his father's wrath.

He had weighed up the options and this seemed the most favourable solution but his heart was thudding in his ears as he rewired the engine controls to bypass the mid-flight safety protocols and then carefully turned in the tight space to face the dauntingly well-protected VTOL engine.

However, opening one of the panels was surprisingly easy and Scott peered inside. The heat coming off the engine was intense and tingled on his face.

Glad for the slight protection offered by his gloves, Scott reached inside the compartment and gripped one of the fuel cables. It was easy to bend and he snagged it firmly, blocking the line.

A shudder rippled through Thunderbird One and Scott closed his eyes, trying to sense even the slightest change in altitude or tilt.

Nothing.

"Shit!"

Scott released the line and heard the engine noise increase in pitch. He paused for a moment, reconsidering his options. Any more of a loss in fuel and the engine could stall. He'd hammer down on the Whitehouse roof and it would all be over.

"Shit!"

Scott moved back from the open panel and sat awkwardly in the narrow space.

"Come on, girl, help me out here?" He groaned into the claustrophobic fuselage. "How do we get down?"

Unsurprisingly, there was no reply.

Scott sighed and glanced at his watch. There could be precious little time for sitting and sulking.

It was infuriating. Scott felt so helpless. And it was a sensation that didn't sit easily with him. With a shout of anger and frustration, he kicked at the VTOL housing. His boot slipped and his foot passed through the open panel. With a gasp of shock, he felt his heel slam into the exhaust port.

And it moved.

Scott pulled back his foot and stared in at the VTOL engine. And then he laughed.

* * *

He had needed to look. He had needed to know.

And now he regretted it unequivocally.

John watched in morbid fascination as Mishka paced back and forth along the length of the corridor like a caged animal. She was muttering agitatedly to no one in particular and throwing the occasional half-hearted punch or kick at one of the many sealed doors.

But that wasn't what bothered him. What bothered him was Alex and her complete lack of movement. She was sprawled on her back, closed eyes facing the ceiling and he had zoomed in to see the result of her fight with Mishka in the bruises and cuts on her face. What he could not tell from his current location was whether she was breathing.

And, god, he needed to know. It was so hard to sit in the office and wait for Penny. But venturing out was against the rules of this game. And entering Mishka's cage would be suicide.

So he waited. And watched. The island systems were back online and safely fire walled. The virus had been located, lurking amid the EM programme and deliciously neutralised. John had found himself enjoying the illusion that it was Mishka he was pulling apart and that had worried him some. But that was good. Worry equalled insight, which in turn must equal not quite insane yet.

He had chanced a tentative reach out to his stranded family after the virus had died its disappointingly quick death. But Brains was too sensible to leave the wounds exposed and had evidently sealed off what was left of the computers. John glanced at the Five-linked satellite images of the two craft and sighed heavily, trying to calculate fuel consumption and wind drift to work out where and when the craft might fall.

For falling was all that remained, unless by some weird quirk of fate Mishka got out and found a linked terminal. Even Penny's mission seemed pretty pointless since the discovery that his family were unreachable.

He had then considered the option of calling in help from somewhere. But who could International Rescue call for help? Who could be trusted? No, the best course of action at the moment would be to wait for Penny to return. She had more contacts, could call in favours. More importantly, she could be trusted to think clearly.

And then new movement caught his eye. He watched as Mishka ran to the door of his father's room and almost growled in fury. She must have heard Penny's arrival within the bedroom.

_Mishka laughed a slow, strange laugh and leaned her ear against the door. "What are you up to…?"_

John watched her in interest, much like a biologist studying animals from a secret hide. And he wondered where the friendly concern of the Eva alias had gone. He was contemplating the various behavioural psychology schools of thought, and the irony of the fact that perhaps Mishka was in fact the one to consult, when the worst thing that could happen happened.

Alex regained consciousness.

John stared at her slowly moving form and shook his head in disbelief, urging her to just stay still.

_"Well, hello…" Mishka smiled and crouched down beside her prey._

_Alex groaned and lifted her hand to touch her head, frowning in disorientation and discomfort._

"_Look who's awake." Mishka continued, reaching out to take Alex's hand from her face and grinning down at her._

John looked on in disbelief and watched Alex blinking in confusion. She then seemed to focus on the face above her and was instantly trying to wriggle away, caught by the tight grip on her wrist.

"_I know you can see me." Mishka glanced at the various cameras nestled high on the walls around her. "Open the doors."_

John shook his head slowly, unable to believe what was happening.

"_Open the doors!" Mishka shouted in fury and with her free hand, grabbed at one of Alex's fingers and snapped it back._

Bile rose in John's throat as Alex screamed in pain and kicked out at Mishka, desperately trying to get free. And that was enough.

John glanced at the open access to the air-conditioning vent and groaned in dismay. He then spun back to see Mishka moving in to inflict more damage on the sobbing Alex and his decision was made.

His heart was in his throat as he galloped down the ramp and made his way across the lounge. With trembling hands he entered the access code to the sealed hallway that led into the complex and the heavy door began to gently slide back.

Alex's whimpers of pain seemed suddenly loud through the increasing gap made by the opening door and brought tears to John's eyes.

"I think they've abandoned you to your fate." Came Mishka's even voice. "It seems you're not worth the trouble."

"Wrong." John called out sternly and stepped into the hall.

_Tbc …_


	13. Chapter 13

He was coming in way too fast.

Adjusting the angle of the VTOL exhaust had proven far too effective. And now he was descending through the mid-morning sky in all but a flat out nosedive.

The advantage, though, was that it made scrambling through to the front of the jet a whole lot easier and he slid into the cockpit to clamber into his seat. And his speed would mean there was no time for jets to be scrambled to shoot him down. If he landed well, there was a good chance he could get a message out to someone. Anyone.

Peering out through the Plexiglas shielding revealed the angle of the dive and rate of descent in worrying clarity and Scott felt his heart leap into his throat. He brought down the harness and gripped it tightly, muttering a prayer beneath his breath.

And someone must have been listening.

He caught sight of a familiar landmark on his port side and gave a brief chuckle of relief before the nose of Thunderbird One then met the lush, dewy grass of the Whitehouse back lawn and he was thrown against his harness.

* * *

"Leave her alone."

Mishka stood up straight and turned to face him, smiling in greeting.

John's face was emotionless, flat. He waited at the open end of the hallway and held her in his steady gaze. "It's me you want. Leave her out of this."

Mishka glanced down at her prey and watched Alex squirming out of her reach.

"Fine." John sighed, "God, I'm tired of all this shit." He turned and walked from the hallway.

And the gamble paid off. He heard Mishka hurry after him and waited for the precise moment. With a speed that surprised them both, he spun and flew past her. Entering the code into the control panel made the door mechanism whirr into life and John murmured in relief as the hall was sealed.

Turning slowly, he met Mishka's steady gaze and shrugged what was almost an apology. "Looks like it's just you and me now."

Mishka smiled, "Clever boy." She nodded slowly, "But you have only removed one pawn from the board."

"Oh god." John groaned, "A chess analogy? How original." He shook his head in distain and rolled his eyes. "And suddenly I'm so terribly bored."

Mishka's smile faltered.

"And thirsty." John added as an afterthought and crossed to the kitchenette. "You want a drink?"

Mishka watched him in silence and then her smile made a slow return. "Your bravado is surprising, considering you have first hand knowledge of what I am capable of."

John poured himself a glass of orange juice and stepped carefully around the crumpled form of the still unconscious Parker. He had managed to hastily drag the man's limp body out of sight before opening the door and had felt a steady pulse at his neck but the darkening bruise to the old guy's temple was of concern.

He sipped at his drink and turned back to Mishka. "Well, that's just it." John replied evenly, "I've got me a kind of a 'been there, done that' thing going on."

Mishka regarded him in intrigue.

"In fact, I don't think there's anything worse than what you put me through." He frowned in thought for a second. "So … it's weird but … despite knowing that you're an evil, sadistic bitch … I'm strangely not scared." John considered the notion for a moment and then shrugged. "That make sense, Doc?"

She made no reply.

John smiled and finished his drink. "Hmm … guess I'm supposed to make an appointment first." He rinsed his glass and wandered from the kitchen, stopping a short way in front of her to regard her in interest. "So. What do you charge for your services, Doc?"

Mishka nodded slowly. "This won't work, John."

"What won't?"

She stepped closer to him, grinning in delight. "I have your entire family poised to strike. You can fool around all you want. But if I don't make contact with my source within the next ten minutes , the Thunderbirds will destroy half of Washington."

John clenched his fists at his side and held his breath.

"So." Mishka ventured even closer and looked up into his pale face. "I suggest you take me to the nearest comm. terminal and give me access."

There was a pause.

"You're bluffing."

"Maybe." Mishka nodded, "You willing to take that chance?"

"You're going to kill them no matter what I do or who you call. It's the space station you want."

Mishka searched his eyes and her smile was gone. She lunged forward and jabbed at his side, slamming her fist into bruised flesh and broken bones.

John dropped like a lead weight, clutching his side and gasping for breath. He watched helplessly through his tears as she scanned the lounge and then followed the ramp high up into the second level, unable to stop her as she made for the office.

* * *

Having heard Mishka's shouts and Alex's crying, Penny had quickly concluded that she had needed to intervene. It was perhaps not the wisest of ideas but she had little choice when faced with the possibility of what Mishka might be doing to her friend. At once realising the fondness she had developed for Alex and the potential advantage that this would give Mishka, she swallowed back the lump in her throat and entered the access code.

Penny slipped through the slowly parting doorway. She gasped and fell to her knees beside Alex, pulling her into a tight embrace. Alex might not have had any idea of the negative thoughts Penny had recently had regarding her loyalties but Penny did. And she clutched her shaking shoulders close to her as if to somehow make amends.

"I n-need my gun." Alex managed between hiccupping sobs. "I need to k-kill that bitch!"

Penny closed her eyes and made no reply.

"We have to get out there." Alex continued through her tears, "She's got John!"

Penny lifted her head and glanced at the sealed entrance to the hall.

"Pen?" Alex urged.

"Okay …" Penny sighed and released her hold. She helped Alex clamber to her feet and briefly examined her bruised face. Her attention then turned to the obviously broken fingers of Alex's left hand and she groaned in disgust.

"Leave it." Alex clutched her hand to her chest and closed her eyes.

"They need to be seen to."

"Not without a shit-load of anaesthetic," Alex stepped back from her, "And not until we've dealt with that bitch."

Penny nodded slowly. "Fine." She stepped past her and unlocked John's bedroom. "But I usually find that bringing a gun into the fray only ever complicates things."

"Duly noted." Alex husked and hurried into the room and over to the wardrobe. She located her uniform and plucked the radio from the clasp. Pressing the transmit button and holding the handset to her ear, she then groaned in dismay and threw the device aside.

"Safety protocol." Penny acknowledged. "All unrecognised transmissions are jammed."

Alex shrugged and pulled her gun free of its holster. "This will bloody work, though."

Penny crossed the room and frowned in concern. "Wait … we ought to try John's plan before we go charging into the unknown."

Alex slid the gun into the waist of her jogging pants and turned to Penny in interest.

"We need to get back to the office and hook up my laptop. We could make contact with the others."

Alex nodded in agreement. "And if that doesn't work, we've got bullets."

Penny nodded and hurried back out into the hall.

* * *

He must have blacked out. Scott lifted his head and instantly regretted the action as pain shot up through his neck and gathered in a swirling mass of ringing agony behind his eyes.

It took a moment for the dizziness and nausea to pass. When it did, he slowly took in his surroundings and saw the devastation.

Thunderbird 1 had evidently scored a path through the lawn and a few layers of topsoil, judging from the dirt and turf that was piled up over the nose and beyond. The impact had crumpled the front of the craft and Scott's heart sank as he realised the extent of the damage.

For a moment all he could think of was that he'd broken the plane. And it filled him with remorse. Then there was the fact that he was down and somehow alive. Then there was the shouting.

Scott turned and peered through the cracked Plexiglas canopy. A whole host of suited and uniformed personnel had gathered around the wreckage. They were all aiming guns in his direction and ordering him to show them his hands. And they all looked very cross.

Scott slowly raised his arms and nodded in reassurance.

One of the braver secret service agents stepped a little closer, his face red with anger – and presumably from the mad dash out of the back door of the Whitehouse. "Do _not _move!"

Scott almost laughed at the notion; he was trapped both by his harness and the shortened cockpit, the control panel resting against his knees. He couldn't move even if he wanted to.

"State your intent."

"I need help." Scott replied.

The agent paused in uncertainty.

"My craft was sabotaged and my colleagues have the same problem." Scott continued, deciding that perhaps stating where Thunderbird 2 was currently positioned might not be the wisest move given the level of hostility he was faced with.

The agent relayed the information to his colleagues and they discussed their options.

Scott made the mistake of relaxing slightly and gasped as the agent span back, gun barrel pressing in through a crack in the canopy.

"Keep your hands where I can see them!"

"Okay." Scott stayed perfectly still and waited for their next move.

Which was to smash through the canopy and pull him free. It wasn't an easy task by any means and they made no attempt to be gentle.

"Wait!" Scott pleaded, the sudden movement jarring his leg and bringing to his attention a previously unknown injury. He tried to clutch at his knee and then caught sight of the torn, bloody uniform of his lower leg. "Ow! Oh god – please – wait a second!"

"Shut up!" Came the only response, from several of the agents.

Scott cried out in pain as he was dragged clear of the smashed cockpit and forced face down on the grass, his arms held tightly behind him. His leg was throbbing painfully and his chest was tight as he was secured on the lawn.

"I need to speak to The President."

"Shut up!"

Scott held his breath as the barrel of a gun was pressed into his cheek and he closed his eyes. "Please," He ventured carefully, "You don't understand. I need her help."

"I said _shut_ _up_!"

Scott could now hear several of them examining his downed jet and he groaned in dismay.

"Why did you land here? What is your intent?" Continued the harsh voice from behind him.

"I told you, I was sabotaged. And my friends are in trouble. I need to speak to The President." Scott urged, "You can see I've no weapons." He added carefully, well aware that the 130 tonne jet that was currently embedded in their back yard kind of contradicted him.

"Why didn't you put out a mayday?"

"I _told _you!" Scott groaned, tired of the questioning and the tight retraining hold of this guy. And his temper more than a little shortened by the growing pain in his leg.

"Baker!"

All the agents seemed to gasp in surprise. Scott felt the startled jolt of the one pinning him down and turned his head towards the new voice.

"What the _hell_ is going on?" The woman demanded angrily.

"Ma'am, you really shouldn't be out here." The agent holding Scott began quickly.

The President shrugged free of her panicking aides and hurried forward, taking in the wreckage and then turning her attention to Scott. "Baker, what on _earth_? Let him go!"

"But, Madam President, I - "

"I said let him _go_!" She barked in annoyance and stepped closer.

Scott groaned as his arms were suddenly free and he brought them up beside his head to try and push up from the grass.

"He's hurt!" The president knelt down beside him and frowned in concern before then glancing at Agent Baker and ordering him to go and fetch the doctor.

"Madam President," Scott began through clenched teeth, hissing in pain as she helped him sit up. "We need your help."

The President smiled thinly and nodded towards the ruined jet. "It would certainly seem that way."

Scott glanced at his craft and noted the men peering into the cockpit and seemingly drinking in every detail of the secret technology.

The President followed his gaze and seemed to realise his concern. "Get back from the plane!"

The agents jumped in surprise and backed away obediently.

"Cordon off this area. No one goes near the plane." She continued, "And none of you must speak of this."

The various personnel mumbled their agreement and Scott nodded his thanks.

"Least I can do." The President acknowledged and a gentle frown settled over her face. "What happened?"

"I don't really know exactly." Scott shrugged, "But … someone got control and I was sat above your house. I can only guess their intentions."

She nodded slowly.

"My friends are in another of our craft and … well … I'm sorry, Madam President but they're … they're hanging over the Pentagon."

The President didn't waste a second. She called over one of the uniformed personnel and hurriedly outlined the necessary action.

Scott sighed in relief and adjusted his position on the grass, biting his lip against the burning agony of his torn leg.

"We should get you inside."

Scott looked up and met her gentle, concerned smile.

"You know, I'm not sure you picked a good day to drop by." She chuckled suddenly, "I was having an early breakfast meeting with the Department of Defence."

Scott groaned, "Figures."

"Some of them still have their doubts about your organisation." She continued, more sombrely, "I was ready to defend you."

"Thank you."

She glanced down at his nametag and a thin smile returned. "Don't prove me wrong, Scott."

"No, Ma'am. No way."

* * *

Jeff seemed suddenly so very old. He leaned heavily against one of the wide chairs on the flight deck and grew paler as the ramifications of Brains' discovery sank in. With trembling legs he warily moved round to sink into the chair and closed his eyes.

"Countdown?" Virgil echoed in a whisper.

Brains nodded.

"How long?" Alan asked carefully.

Brains looked at his watch and frowned in thought. "At the rate of decay, the d-d-d-signal will expire in fourteen minutes and thirty seven – no _twenty _seven seconds." He looked back up at them, his expression unreadable but strangely calm. "That is to say, at 09:35 Eastern Standard Time, whatever event had been p-p-p-pre-programmed will occur."

And chaos engulfed the craft once more. All at once, the three youngest of the crew were barking demands and shouting worriedly.

Brains grimaced at the noise of the panic and slowly raised his hands. "Boys."

They continued unabated, too overwhelmed in their distress.

"BOYS!" Brains shouted suddenly.

Quiet descended.

"It seems there is no way to s-s-s-attack this thing scientifically." Brains urged quickly, "I've been looking at it from the wrong p-p-p-perspective. I've been trying to f-f-f-solve the unsolvable. If I disable the o-o-o-operating systems any further …"

The three sons watched him in wary silence.

"We have to accept that she's lost." Brains continued softly, "I need you to go back to the cargo bay and find a way to get us off safely."

Virgil nodded in understanding, "Come on, guys."

Jeff waited for them to leave the flight deck and listened to the now suddenly ominous hum of the powerful craft around him. "We're six thousand feet up." He husked quietly, "There is no way off safely."

Brains turned and saw his friend's tearstained face. "I know. But it will keep them occupied."

_Tbc …_


	14. Chapter 14

Mishka stepped through the open door and paused inside the office for a moment. She frowned in thought as she took in the large room, with its bold colours, rare artefacts and expansive view out over the ocean. Her attention then focused on the crescent wooden desk and the single computer terminal there on.

She smiled and stepped further into the room.

The attack was a surprise but perhaps should not have been. Mishka cursed in anger at both her attacker and herself as she spun and received another high kick to her head. She stumbled back a few paces and then managed to regain her composure, ready for the next strike.

"_Why_?" Penny demanded in fury, flushed and breathless from exertion and hatred.

Mishka backed away from her, watching her warily as a smile found her way to its face. "Why what?"

"Why _everything_!" Penny spat in reply. "Why the lies, why the plotting, why International Rescue?"

Mishka laughed softly and shook her head. "It's a long story." She glanced at her watch. "And you really haven't got the time."

Penny lowered her fists and frowned in concern. Still poised ready to strike but needing more information and she sighed in annoyance.

Mishka nodded and retreated further from Penny, passing the end of the desk and glancing at the computer screen. "Log me in."

"No."

Mishka shrugged her shoulders. "Okay. Have it your way."

Penny's frown grew.

Mishka looked at the time once again and smiled in amusement. "Only a few minutes and it will all be over."

Penny stared at her in silence.

"Or you can log me in and I can cancel the self-destruct sequence."

"What?" Penny gasped.

Mishka chuckled softly. "It was a failsafe. In case any of you were, in fact, clever enough to override the hack. But I would prefer the craft intact." She nodded at the computer terminal. "And I am sure you would, too."

* * *

The jumble of excited chatter in the large office was starting to give Scott a headache. Or it could simply be that the force of the collision with the ground had whipped his head almost clean from his shoulders.

He adjusted his position on the sofa and sighed in relief as he again realised that the pain in his leg was gone. Quite what the Whitehouse physician had done to his torn shin, he was unsure – preferring not to look at the mangled bloody mess behind his ripped suit – but now it was thankfully numb and the damage hidden behind bandages. Scott rested back against the soft cushions of the long couch and pressed an ice pack against his forehead as he tried to tune in to the individual conversations going on around him.

It seemed about 20 different people were suggesting a thousand different possibilities and even The President was now tiring of the lack of consensus. She had been keen to have Scott's input on the whole situation but the excitable Defence Department staff had long since shouted him down. Scott was sure they would simply be happier if he himself was locked away somewhere but the President was standing her ground. In fact, she was apparently as stubborn and hotheaded as he would normally have been. Had he not just barely survived a crash-landing, of course.

But enough was enough. Scott sat upright and held his breath as the room spun around him for a second. He held up his hand to try and gain the attention of the group.

And that was when one of the President's aides came hurrying in and said there was a phone-call for her. From 'them'.

Silence engulfed the Oval Office.

"What?" The President and assorted personnel stared in disbelief at her aide.

"It's them." The young woman repeated nervously, "The hijackers. They want to speak to you."

Scott froze. He then slowly looked over at the President and saw her glance warily at him before then pressing the flashing active line and putting the caller on the speakerphone.

"This is President Mitchell."

"_Ah, yes, hello there, Rosalind."_

Scott's heart slammed against his chest and he closed his eyes as the familiar voice hung in the tense air around him.

"Who is this?" President Mitchell demanded firmly, noting Scott's reaction and that all colour had drained from his face.

"_Who I am is not important at this time. What is important is what I have and what I am capable of doing_."

"I should explain, sir." The President countered calmly, "That this government is not in the habit of negotiating with terrorists."

Laughter emanated from the phone's speakers. _"Well said, my dear. But a mute point, I'm afraid. You see, in about eight minutes time, the craft hovering over the Pentagon will descend and detonate. As will the jet sat not a few hundred yards from your office."_

Scott clenched his fists and turned to look out into the garden. Somewhere beyond the part-shaded windows sat his crippled, now camouflaged, craft and he had no way of knowing if she was about to erupt into flames. The thought of his family being blown apart on Thunderbird 2 was simply too much too contemplate at that moment and he blocked the notion from his mind.

President Mitchell glanced round at the concerned, if blank, faces of her staff and then looked at Scott.

"What do you want?"

"_Your attention_."

"You have it."

"_Your undivided attention. Get rid of all those bickering children. I want to talk to you alone_."

The President nodded to her staff and watched them protest as they begrudgingly evacuated the Oval Office.

"_That's better._"

Scott peered around the room in breathless fear, wondering where the cameras were hidden.

"_That was a clever thing you did, young Master Tracy."_

Scott turned his gaze to the telephone on the ornate desk and could not breathe.

"_But I am afraid that all you have achieved is to force me to reschedule things somewhat._"

Scott's head was spinning. He looked up into the Presidents confused expression and watched her adding it up. And suddenly he saw the end. The end of everything.

"_It is a shame you all but ruined your lovely plane for no reason._" The voice continued, amusement lacing the soft refined tone. _"I simply needed you to get the attention of President Mitchell and the world. I meant you no harm."_

"Yeah, right!" Scott scoffed, suddenly finding his voice, his anger rising quickly and pushing all caution aside. "You listen here, you crazy son-of-a-bitch. You got nothing. You hear me? My family would rather die than be used in some kind of - "

"_Fine." _Came a stern response. _"If that is what you would prefer."_

And the line clicked off, replaced after a second by the dull moan of the dialling tone.

Scott groaned and closed his eyes. Oh god, what had he done?

President Mitchell watched Scott for a long moment, trying desperately to fathom all that was happening. She stepped round her desk and walked slowly across to stand before him, allowing a moment for him to try and collect his thoughts.

Scott was aware of her waiting expectantly and opened his eyes to meet her troubled frown. "The Hood." He replied to her unspoken query.

"Right …" President Mitchell murmured, "Except he is supposed to be dead. Caught in the crossfire in Kazakhstan."

Scott nodded. "That's how it had appeared." He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, trying to calm his anger and fight the sudden urge to vomit that his throbbing head was causing. "But … unless someone has a recording of his voice or …" he shrugged his shoulders. "I really don't know anymore."

President Mitchell folded her arms across her chest and groaned softly. "So … we need to call in the experts on this guy and I need to get my staff back in here." She glanced outside briefly. "Assuming we have any time to think before he does anything."

Scott nodded slowly, "He wants power." He mused aloud, "It's not in his interest to drop a bargaining tool. He's too clever for that. It must be that - " And he gasped suddenly. "God, I completely forgot! Ma'am, we've got someone who can help us back at our base!"

President Mitchell's frown grew.

Scott smiled, cursing himself for forgetting the little covert operation Penny had set out on that morning. "Let me try and contact my base and speak to her."

The President sighed, "I … I don't know …"

"Please! I know your guys don't trust me and I don't blame you for being cautious but …" He shrugged another smile, "You must've worked out who we are. Believe me, you can trust us. Get me access to a satellite phone and let me try."

* * *

Alex tapped in the code Penny had given her and held her breath as the door began to slide open. She clutched her gun in her uninjured hand and poked the barrel through the increasing gap, stepping carefully beyond the safety of the hall to scope out the lounge.

"John!"

She forgot her caution and hurried forward, falling to her knees before him.

John lifted his head and smiled in relief, his face then crumpling as he sagged forward and into her embrace.

"It's okay." Alex hugged him tight against her and closed her eyes, for a moment letting everything but his nearness fade into the distance.

"Al," John began huskily, "I can't …" he groaned and pulled her closer, pressing his face into her hair. "I can't take this …"

"Oh, babe." Alex began to cry softly, "It's all my fault." She whimpered into his shoulder. "Oh god, if I hadn't snuck out and made that call and … I'm so sorry."

John leaned back from her suddenly and frowned as he looked into her flushed face. "Who _did_ you call?"

"MI5. To check on my mum." Alex smiled through her tears. "After using it as an excuse, I then couldn't stop thinking about it and - " Her face crumpled and she was soon shaking with pitiful sobs.

"Hey …" John cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips into her forehead. "She would have found a way sooner or later …"

"I'm – I'm – so – so – sorry." Alex managed between sobbing gasps. She reached up to place her hands on his, forgetting the broken fingers and gasping in pain.

John moved back from her again and examined her hand, murmuring in dismay.

"I so – _so_ – want to kill that fucking bitch." Alex whispered angrily, suddenly calm.

John smiled and leaned in close once more, resting his forehead against hers. "Get in line, babe."

Sounds of a struggle then filtered down from the office and they both gasped in horror as they remembered Penny. John pulled himself to his feet, straightening his back slowly and pressing a hand against his side. He held out his hand to help Alex up and his heart slammed against his chest as he saw the gun she collected from the floor.

Alex knew instantly where his worried gaze was directed and tucked the weapon out of sight. "Last resort." She offered carefully, "Promise."

"Oh … ?" John replied, almost with disappointment.

"Master Tracy?"

They both turned to see Parker heaving himself slowly upright and leaning heavily against the kitchen cupboards.

"Would you mind explaining what the bloody hell is going on?" Parker asked, touching his fingers to his bruised temple.

John moved towards him and shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Eva isn't Eva, she was Mishka all along. Mishka is apparently an evil psycho who has gained control of One and Two and plans to do something hideous to them. We were planning on stopping her at all costs." He smiled thinly. "Care to join us?"

"Most definitely." Parker nodded, "As long as it involves hitting her back."

John couldn't help but laugh. It was all too surreal. Not only that it was all happening in the first place but also that they were somehow joking about it. Maybe they had all lost it. Well, at least he and his breakdown had company.

"How …?" Alex asked quietly.

John turned back to face her. "We need to disable her, restore comm.s and get them the hell back."

"Where are they?"

"Washington."

Alex nodded in thought. "Listen … I'll - " She glanced at her crippled hand and winced as she tried to flex her fingers. "I'll not be much use against her but I might be able to help in other ways."

John wandered back over to her.

"Can I get access to a separate system?"

John frowned.

"She needs to call in, yeah? She can't know I'm in the system and will prevent you from tracking her but …" She shrugged, "I think I know someone who can help."

John watched her in wary silence, familiar stirrings of doubt beginning to flutter deep in his stomach.

"FAB 1." Parker interjected, hurrying towards them. "She's not affected, right?"

John nodded slowly.

Alex took a deep breath and pulled the gun from the waist of her trousers. "Take this."

John felt the world spin suddenly a little faster and instinctively backed away from her.

"Please." Alex urged, "At least let me try. What if you can't get a message out? We need to try another channel." She held out the gun, "And you might need this."

John took the gun and felt suddenly nauseous as he held the heavy weight of so much more than a pistol in his hand. He tucked the gun into his jeans, his skin shuddering at the cold touch of the weapon.

Alex saw the questions behind his eyes and nodded slowly. "MI5. Trust me."

John regarded her sincere face and suddenly wondered how he ever could have not trusted her. He didn't understand her part in all this but he knew what she meant to him and maybe that was all that should ever have mattered. Tears stung his eyes as he watched her smile up at him with such fondness and he bit back on an unexpected sob.

"Oh, babe …" Alex stepped in close and leaned up to place a kiss on his trembling lips. She then backed away and shrugged off the heaviness of her shoulders. "Go. Go help Penny." She stepped past him and hurried across to the glass doors leading out to the pool.

John watched her leave and then turned to Parker, who seemed to have been rather endearingly trying to make himself scarce.

"Right then," Parker emerged from the kitchenette and held out the string he had found in one of the drawers, "Ain't got nothing else to tie her up with." He shrugged.

John smiled and fell into quick step beside him and across to the ramp.

_Tbc …_


	15. Chapter 15

It was eerily quiet on the flight deck. Brains was still working through the linked hardware, hoping to stumble upon something he had overlooked. Or perhaps simply trying to find a way to get hold of his son. But his attempts to get through to anyone on any of the comm. channels had thus far proved fruitless.

Jeff watched his friend in silence and felt numb. The world seemed to have faded to nothing and all cares had long since abandoned him. There was no point in panic and it was all too late to try and work out how or why this had happened.

He could perhaps go below and help his sons find a way down. Not that they would find one. But at least he would be with them. With them when …

No. He could not think that way. With tears blurring his vision, Jeff turned to look out at the perfect blue above the cloud line and could feel his heart breaking.

And then an ominous black helicopter rose up through the clouds and hung there in the sky, nose to nose with Thunderbird Two.

It took a moment for the vision to sink in and Jeff stared out at the craft in shock. "Brains …"

Brains looked up from his work in interest and frowned as he saw Jeff's pale face. He followed his gaze and gasped in surprise. "W-w-what …?" he clambered to his feet and stepped clear of the tangled mess of wiring.

Jeff turned in his chair to face the helicopter straight on and shook his head. "I … that's one of the new Raptors …"

Brains frowned in interest as he peered out through the Plexiglas shielding. "We helped d-d-d-build it."

Jeff swallowed hard.

Brains backed away warily and shook his head.

Jeff turned to his friend and nodded in understanding. "Yeah … if I needed to shoot me down … I think I'd call in a Raptor …"

* * *

John wandered into the office and beheld the stand off. Aware of Parker tensing beside him, ready to strike, he stepped further inside and shot Penny a glance of reassurance.

Mishka laughed gently, "It doesn't matter how many of you there are. I am holding all the cards."

John groaned in annoyance. "Enough with the clichés!" He grated, "God, you really are so boringly obvious."

Mishka's smile faded slightly.

"Now. In plain English, please just tell us what you have planned and how we stop you."

Mishka laughed again. "Erm … let me think about it. No."

John's shoulders drooped and he pinched the bridge of his nose with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, his other hand reaching behind him.

Penny glanced warily at Parker and saw the concern in his weary face.

"Look," John began, "I'm only going to ask one more time …"

Mishka grinned and looked around at the empty office and the three of them. "Or _what_?"

John pulled forth the gun and fired.

* * *

Alex hurried inside the car and sat half in, half out as she reached for the comm. and tried to remember the secure sequence that gave her protected access. It seemed to take forever for the link to be accepted and she held her breath as at last a familiar logo appeared on the screen.

The call was finally answered and Alex double-checked the scramble the way Scott and Penny had done.

"I need to speak with Henry Shaw. And it's urgent." She blurted out hastily, adding her ID and passwords as almost an afterthought.

Glancing at the clock on the dashboard, Alex groaned and prayed he would still be there. It was late afternoon in London and he might have left the office, which would not be too much of a problem but her nerves could not take much more of all this.

"Alex?"

Alex sighed in relief, tears instantly forming as his face appeared on the screen and she nodded a thin smile.

"What?" Henry demanded worriedly, "What's happened?"

"It's worse than you thought." Alex began and hastily explained the Eva/Mishka revelation and the predicament both on the island and in Washington.

"I know." Henry nodded slowly, "We just now picked up the first scent of trouble across the water. We were waiting for verification from our sources there."

"We need your help." Alex husked.

"Anything."

Alex explained the comm. problems and the virus, despite not completely understanding herself what John had told her. "Is there anyway I can link you in and you can locate the source of whatever has control?"

Henry frowned in thought. "I can certainly ask the tech guys if - "

"No! There's too much at stake here. I need you to do this alone and not tell anyone else. If I give you access, you'll have this location."

Henry sighed and nodded in understanding. "Alex, I wouldn't even think of - "

"I know. I'm sorry … I just … I can't risk it."

"Alright. Give me the access codes and frequencies."

Alex took a deep breath and switched off the scrambler, opening up the isolated network to him.

"This could take a while." Henry offered distractedly as all manner of data flooded into his workstation. "Unless I grab Craig. He's a good kid. And a computer geek."

Alex considered this for a moment. "But, do you - ?"

"With my life, Alex."

Alex nodded and managed a smile, deciding that she had little choice under the circumstances. "Fine. Get him on it." She agreed, silently praying that she was doing the right thing.

* * *

The shot had gone wide and pierced the tall window behind Mishka, leaving a spider web of cracks around the small wound in the glass.

Penny had covered her ears in fright, the world spinning as she gazed in shock at the unharmed Mishka and then to John's still steadily aiming arm. She caught Parker's equally shocked reaction and held her breath as John glared in fury at his target.

If Mishka was stunned, she hid it well. With amused disinterest she turned and looked at the hole in the window behind her. She spun back and shrugged her shoulders slightly. "Killing me won't get you anything."

"Except pleasure." John retorted icily, aware of Penny shuddering beside him.

Mishka's smile grew. "Oh, please! I saw the state you were in when you killed my guard."

John remained unflinchingly calm and still, trying to ignore Penny's horror.

"And that was self-defence." Mishka continued, "There's no way you're even close to capable of shooting me in cold blood."

"No?" John quirked an eyebrow and tightened his grip on the gun. "Want to test that theory, Doc?"

"_John_!" Penny husked a caution and stepped closer to him.

"It's okay, Pen." John smiled suddenly and nodded towards his concerned friend, "Y'see, Doc, Pen has seen me lose it. Her concern is quite justified 'cos I've not been myself lately. I guess I've got you to thank for that."

Mishka's smile faded.

"And you're right. I've had a tough time trying to get over what I've been through. Especially killing Ballensky." He paused for a moment, surprised but also pleased that he could say that name aloud without feeling the Earth drop from under him. "But maybe I've been looking at it all wrong. Maybe it's simply too late for me. I can't get over what happened and I can never go back. I'm way past that point."

Mishka held his steady gaze, her confident smile finding its slow way back to her lips. "All very interesting John but I still don't see how threatening me gets you anywhere."

"No?" John ventured closer and nodded towards the computer. "You say you have to make contact or my family explodes over Washington? Well, your little viral friend did a great deal of damage. And you must have allowed for that." He smiled thinly, "I'm thinking your threat towards them is a bluff."

Mishka made no reply and the tension in the office was almost palpable.

"If you don't get the contact you supposedly need and they die, you lose the advantage and the one bargaining tool you had. Now, that being the case kinda makes your position here rather weak."

Mishka said nothing.

"And if you really are needed to contact another source then that means you are only one part of a larger team. Which, if well organised, makes you expendable." John took another step towards her, his anger growing. "No. The only real use for you is to help us sort out the mess you've made. But I guess we could just as easily do that without you." He frowned slightly, "Right now, the only thing between you and my next shot is your instinct for self-preservation."

Mishka lifted her chin defiantly and snorted in disdain. "Fine. Play your little game."

"John!" Penny urged.

John raised his hand to Penny in a gesture of calm and reassurance, his gaze unwavering and he smiled thinly at Mishka. "The choice is simple, Mishka. Help us or I'll shoot you."

"No, you won't."

"Oh, I will. You see, killing is surprisingly easy." John glanced at the gun in his hand. "_That_'s what's so hard to deal with." He considered this for a moment and laughed softly, "Shit, Doc. I guess I owe you some therapy money now, huh?"

Mishka seemed to grow pale.

"Well?" John urged, "Which is it gonna be? I must confess, I'd rather you help us 'cos I'd love to know who this alleged 'source' is …?"

And Mishka seemed to see a new opportunity. She grinned and faced him squarely. "Trangh." She stated coolly. "Trangh Belagant."

* * *

Jeff didn't know how many minutes had passed since the helicopter had appeared. It seemed like an age. An age in which the two craft had stared each other down and he had not dared take a breath.

And then the helicopter adjusted position and angled a powerful spotlight towards them. Even in the brightness of the morning sky, the halogen beam stung their eyes and Jeff and Brains flinched slightly.

"What are they _doing_ …?" Jeff whispered, the first words spoken in a long moment seeming loud in the flight deck.

Brains watched in intrigue as the light then blinked out. And then flashed back on again.

Jeff frowned in confusion and turned to Brains.

Brains was transfixed. And suddenly smiling.

Jeff looked back at the helicopter and a glimmer of hope fluttered somewhere inside him. He watched the light blinking on and off and the sequence was too familiar to not be a sign.

"S." Brains muttered aloud. "C … O … T … T …"

"Scott!" Jeff yelped in delight and hugged Brains excitedly. "Scott!"

Brains nodded and his grin widened as he gave his friend a rare, if brief, embrace. He then frowned as a new sequence begun and he followed the pattern. "H … E … L … P."

Jeff stood back from his friend. "What? They need help?"

"S … E … C … U … R … E … 3 … A … L … P … H … A …"

"Huh?" Jeff urged and then watched as Brains fell to his knees and began grabbing at bundles of wires. He watched the scientist putting sections of the helm back together and suddenly understood. With a whoop of joy, he fled from the flight deck to tell his sons they were saved.

* * *

Scott listened to the static on the line and closed his eyes. His heart was racing and he was silently praying that his idea would work. Aware of the President perching on the couch beside him, he looked up and saw her welcome nod of reassurance.

"Scott?"

Scott jumped slightly and stared at the satellite phone in his hand. "Dad?"

"Scott? Oh thank god! Are you alright? Where are you?"

"With President Mitchell."

"What? How - ?"

"It's a long story. Listen, Dad, it's the Hood."

The line went silent.

"Dad?"

"I'm here, son."

"We don't know what he wants yet but he says he's going to detonate One and Two."

"I know. Brains found a cycling signal in the virus. The countdown ends at 09:35."

Scott glanced at his watch and his heart sank. Eight minutes.

"Scott?"

"Yeah, Dad, I … Listen, the Raptor is going to tow you clear and then the guys will find a way to get you off."

"And you?"

"I'm down. I'll get people clear." Scott nodded to the President and watched as she quickly stood and left the room. "Dad?"

"Yeah, son."

"I couldn't get through to the island."

"Okay …"

"You think - " Scott couldn't finish the sentence and closed his eyes.

"We don't know anything at this point." Jeff responded softly. "Scott, I …"

"I know." Scott smiled, tears forming, "Love you, too, Dad."

_Tbc …_


	16. Chapter 16

With the VTOL jets still on full blast, Thunderbird Two was effectively sat on a cushion of air. Much like a leaf sat on the surface of a pond, she was easy to move and the powerful helicopter only needed to give a gentle tug on the line grappled around the rear tail fin.

It seemed slow going to the nervous occupants within but was actually a short trip out over Chesapeake Bay and beyond to the open Atlantic. Once clear of land, the Raptor broke free and paused beside the immense craft, waiting to offer further assistance.

"_Now_ what?" Alan asked urgently, glancing at the helm chronometer and his heart racing.

Brains frowned and entered more commands into the partially repaired helm. "Now I'll cut p-p-p-power to the en-en-en-VTOL thrusters in sequence and we'll s-s-s-sink." He looked up at the expectant faces of the group and smiled in what he hoped was reassurance. "In the meantime, f-f-f-manually open the cargo bay doors and exit at a s-s-s-safe altitude."

"You mean jump?" Gordon echoed aghast.

Virgil sighed and nodded slowly. "It's the only way."

"And how can we be sure we can get clear before Two smacks down?" Alan asked.

Virgil nodded to the Raptor just visible off the port bow.

"Wait!" Gordon gasped suddenly. "What if we all go at once – in Four?"

His brothers frowned at him and he turned to his Dad. "We'll have a better chance. If we time it right, leave at the right altitude. Four will survive the fall and the Raptor can pick us up."

Jeff frowned in thought and turned to Brains.

"I agree." Brains offered.

Jeff nodded, "How do we manually launch Four?"

Brains shrugged, "Override the winch and r-r-r-release the couplings. She'll f-f-f-drop like a stone."

* * *

Scott listened to the plan and his head was spinning. His father sounded optimistic but somewhere behind his words was the knowledge that One and Two were lost. They would have to start over again. If it was not already too late for that.

Scott signed off and stared at the satellite phone in his hand, feeling suddenly alone. But there was now nothing he could do. The President and her staff were making plans to evacuate the Whitehouse and she had offered him passage out to the naval baseto be reunited with his stranded family. Where they went from there was anyone's guess.

The door to the Oval Office opened and President Mitchell entered the room, taking a moment to read the expression on his face before stepping further inside. "Well …?"

Scott nodded, "Thank you. They should be okay."

She smiled and headed towards him. "Listen … I know it's the least of your worries right now but … the press have got wind and …" She shrugged an apology, "One of them says she knows you. She's very worried."

Scott frowned in intrigue. "Lisa?"

"Lowe, yes. She says she wants to help."

Scott considered this for a moment and then nodded. "Sure. Where is she?"

President Mitchell smiled and retreated to the office door, pulling it open and calling for Lisa to enter.

Lisa hurried inside, her face pale and full of fear. "Thank god! I saw the wreckage and thought the worst!"

Scott watched her warily as she approached him and then noticed the Dictaphone she clutched to her chest. He groaned in dismay and was about to decline an interview and ask her to leave when she then realised what he had seen and nodded emphatically.

"He just called."

"What?"

Lisa's hands were trembling as she held out the Dictaphone. "The Hood. He just called me. _Me_." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

President Mitchell stepped up beside Lisa and frowned in concern. "Are you alright?"

"No." Lisa answered honestly, "I'm shit scared! Sorry, Madam President."

"It's okay." President Mitchell offered quickly. "Tell us what happened."

"He called me on my cell phone a few minutes ago." Lisa began hurriedly, "As soon as he said who he was, I put him on speakerphone and recorded it."

"Well done." Scott nodded in enthusiasm.

Lisa smiled thinly and pressed play.

" - _need you to deliver a message, Ms Lowe." _The Hood was heard to say.

"_What? What message?"_ Came Lisa's unsteady reply.

"_I know you are in Washington. So are the Thunderbirds. One is visiting the President and the other is going to drop in on the Pentagon. I need you to go to the Whitehouse and tell Scott Tracy that his family are dead because of you_."

"_What!"_

"_You have exclusive rights to record them, do you not? If it were not for your obsessive trailing of them around the globe, I would never have found my way in. Just ask Anthony."_

There was then a click and the low wail of the dialling tone.

Scott stared at the Dictaphone in stunned disbelief.

"Who's Anthony?" President Mitchell asked carefully.

Scott looked up and saw the sadness in Lisa's drawn face. He somehow knew the answer before she began to reply.

"He was my cameraman."

"_Was … _?"

Scott closed his eyes.

"He's gone." Lisa shrugged, "He was here with me, in the press room, waiting to cover the morning questions session … then I got this call and … when I turned back …"

President Mitchell fled from the room, returning a moment later with one of her secret service agents. She beckoned Lisa to follow her across to the laptop on her desk and call up Anthony's file.

Scott watched them searching intently, the secret service agent calling the information through to his colleagues. And suddenly Scott saw the trap.

"Wait …" he stood slowly, carefully putting most of his weight on his good leg. "He wants us to chase off in a different direction. This is just to throw us off." He saw his companions watching him in intrigue and he nodded sombrely. "He's here."

* * *

Alex peered up at the just visible top office of the complex and sighed in frustration. She felt like she had been waiting forever and had no way of knowing what might be happening back inside the house.

And then the screen flickered back into life.

"Alex. Hi. Sorry. It took longer than I thought." Henry offered quickly.

Alex glanced at the clock and smiled, it had only been three or four minutes. "And …?"

"And Craig is on it. He found the interference and thinks he can block it."

"And trace the source?"

"Hopefully."

"And can you go after it?"

Henry sighed, "It's not a direct threat to the UK, Al."

Alex's face fell.

"But I'll see what I can do." Henry shook his head slowly. "I don't like that you're caught up in this."

Alex shrugged slightly, "I've got you watching my back."

Henry smiled.

"How's mum?"

"Fine. A little scared but … she's fine. So is Tom."

"Oh, thank god. You found him?"

"He found me."

Alex gasped, "Does he know?"

"No." Henry replied, "Does John?"

Alex shook her head. "I just can't risk it. With everything that's happened … I just can't risk giving him cause to be wary of me … I'm sure he's had doubts already and …"

Henry moaned in understanding. "I'm sorry. When I heard the call … in London … I … I just had to step in, Al."

"I know. And thank you." Alex smiled, "It was so hard not to run over and hug you!"

"That would have blown both of our covers!" Henry laughed. "And probably pissed off half the espionage world!" He was then distracted by something off camera and he turned away for a moment. "Okay, Al, go! We've blocked the signal."

Alex gasped in delight.

"Call me!" Henry ordered hastily before she signed off. "Stay in touch."

"I will." Alex nodded and reached out to touch the screen. "Thanks, Uncle Henry."

* * *

It worked like a charm. Space was more than a little tight inside the small sub but the winch was surprisingly easy to override and Four was hanging down ready to nosedive into the approaching ocean.

Jeff watched his three sons squeezing up against the sides of the sub to make room for him and he had to laugh at the image. Sardines came to mind.

He then turned and frowned in confusion as he realised the lack of Brains' presence in the cargo bay. Telling his sons to relax a moment, he headed back to the flight deck.

"I'm not coming."

Jeff stared in horror at his friend. "What?"

Brains clambered back under the broken sections of helm and made no reply.

"Brains? We have to leave. All of us."

"Not while there's a ch-ch-ch-chance of saving T-T-T-her."

Jeff glanced at his watch. Four minutes.

"Go." Brains called from under the helm. "You have to b-b-b-get clear."

"Hiram … no …"

Brains slowly crawled back out and looked up at his friend.

"It's not like you have to go down with the ship …"

Brains nodded. "I know."

Jeff stepped closer and reached out to put his hand on Brains' shoulder. "Don't do this. She's gone."

Brains glanced around the flight deck, bottom lip trembling as he took it all in. He closed his eyes and nodded slowly.

"Come on." Jeff took his arm and led him towards the cargo bay.

It was then that the helm sparked and spat flames across the flight deck.

* * *

There was no time. They had no choice but to evacuate. And fast.

Scott winced as he was helped to hop his way outside and climbed aboard the President's helicopter. He felt his heart sink as he buckled himself in and glanced out through the window to the covered wreckage at the far end of the lawn.

"We'll get him."

Scott turned to the President and smiled thinly.

"If he really is in Washington then he'll not get out." President Mitchell leaned forward and placed her hand on his thigh. "And we have leads. We'll get him."

"Yeah." Scott shrugged slightly and then looked down at the satellite phone in his hand. He had tried to reach the island just a moment ago but there was nothing. At least he had spoken to his dad and would be meeting up with him soon. It was everything afterwards that was as yet still so unclear.

* * *

Alex galloped up the ramp and was gasping as she flew into the office. "John!"

John kept his gaze on Mishka. "Al."

Alex hurried forward and quickly caught her breath. She ignored Penny and Parker's worried expressions and made her way across the office. Reaching John's side, she looked up into his composed expression and nodded gently. "It worked. The signal is blocked."

John saw Mishka's smile waver and glanced towards the computer terminal.

Penny had caught on and jogged round the desk. She logged on and gasped in delight as she saw the incoming transmission. "One of the emergency frequencies is active!" She turned to John and nodded eagerly. "It's Thunderbird Two."

Alex groaned in relief.

"Hail them." John ordered quietly.

"Thunderbird Two from Base. Come in."

"Pen?"

Jeff's voice was a welcome sound to all in the office. All except Mishka. But she held John's steady gaze and stood her ground.

John glanced at his watch and swallowed back the sudden lump in his throat.

"Penny, are you okay? Scott said he couldn't get through."

"We're fine, Jeff. You?"

"Phew! That was a little close for comfort!" Jeff laughed warmly, "But we're all okay. Two got a little crispy round the edges but she's flyable. We're going to pick up One and then head home."

Penny wiped the tears from her cheeks and glanced at John's hostage. "And the virus?"

"The signal just disappeared. We're almost back online save a few of Two's systems."

"Glad to hear it. You can tell us more when you get home." Penny concluded and closed the comm. She turned and sighed merrily. "It's over."

"Certainly seems that way." Alex agreed and couldn't resist shooting Mishka a smug grin. She then looked up at John and saw something she could not quite define in his pale face.

"Not quite over." John husked and squeezed the trigger.

Penny yelped and covered her mouth in shock.

Parker hurried forward to try and stop John but it was too late.

Alex watched Mishka stagger backwards, her eyes wide and frightened as blood trickled from the small entry wound in the centre of her forehead.

John watched with emotionless interest as Mishka struggled to keep her balance for a few more steps and then suddenly dropped. The shot was perfect. Clean and precise. He watched her slump to the floor and remembered how Ballensky had done just the same. But this felt so much different.

And something inside him began to hurt as he realised that it felt good.

He hated that it felt good. He hated that he was not himself. He hated that he would never be the same again. But not quite as much as he hated her and all that she represented.

His three companions watched in horror as he stepped forward and emptied the remaining bullets into the body on the floor of the office. It was as if he was trying to pour all of his agony into the lead casings and send it back to her. And he kept shooting, even after the last bullet had left the barrel.

"Hey …" Alex cautiously neared him, seeing the trembling of his shoulders as he continued to squeeze the trigger of the spent weapon. She reached out and touched his arm, lowering his hand and carefully reaching out to take the gun from his grip. "It's okay, babe … it's okay …"

John stared at the still form below him for a long moment and then turned to look at Alex. He saw the concern in her gentle eyes and smiled thinly.

Alex met his gaze and expected to find the pain and trauma of the past few months nestled there. Or perhaps guilt or sorrow for what he had just done. But all she found was calm.

Eerie, emotionless calm.

_Tbc …_


	17. Chapter 17

It was slow going. Repairing the burnt out controls on Two's helm had proved tricky but the entire crew had pulled together and now headed back to the mainland.

The atmosphere on the flight deck had completely turned. Jeff sat in the co-pilot's seat and happily soaked up the laughter and joviality. It was almost over the top, even hysterical. But that was understandable after all that had happened. The fact that they had not been blown to pieces was more than worthy of a little celebration.

Half listening to the merriment and simultaneously forcing his focus back to the matter at hand, Jeff leaned forward and opened a comm. channel.

"Mobile control from Thunderbird Two."

"Hardly 'mobile'." Came Scott's reply.

Jeff smiled; sarcasm was hardly professional but right then it somehow sounded good to hear. "How's it going?"

"I've managed to scrounge enough cable and we should be ready for pick up. The President wants you to touch down and have coffee but I thought a scoop and run seemed best."

Jeff laughed softly, "Ask her for a rain check."

"I will."

"I think we just need to all get home." Jeff offered quietly.

"How are things back there?"

Jeff's smile faded. "Pen said all's well but … there was something … something in her voice."

"Yeah … but it's probably just the stress of the past few hours." Scott replied, unconvincingly.

Jeff nodded in thought. "See you in four." He closed the connection and sat back against his seat with a sigh. Then aware of his sons watching him in concern, he turned and met their suddenly sombre faces. "No … he didn't sound right, did he …"

* * *

It was hard to picture it but President Mitchell was convinced that the city was on total lockdown. Scott sat in the relative quiet of the office and closed his eyes. She was full of assurances and he wanted to believe her but it seemed all too easy. Shut down the city and trap the bad man. Yeah. Like that happened in real life.

"You okay …?"

Scott was startled. He opened his eyes and saw Lisa watching him in concern. He had completely forgotten she was there and he smiled what he hoped was both assurance and apology.

"You really think he'll come after me?" Lisa asked quietly.

Scott shrugged, "Anything is possible with him. I think you should listen to the President's advisors and seek shelter."

Lisa nodded slowly.

"As soon as they catch him, you'll be safe."

Lisa searched his face and managed a thin smile. "At least one good thing came out of all this."

"Oh?"

"You've got some powerful people fighting on your side now."

Scott pondered this for a moment and then nodded in agreement. But he could not help but consider the price they had already paid for this new allegiance.

* * *

The clean, disinfected air of the small medical lab was far too familiar. John closed his eyes and held Alex closer to him, trying to keep unwanted memories at bay.

Alex then flinched slightly and he stepped closer to the bed she was sat on and pulled her further into his embrace. Not that it was easy. Alex's left arm was stretched out at an odd angle and supported by pillows and Onaha was moving around the end of the table, working on repairing the broken fingers. John wanted to be as close as he could to Alex but was also trying to keep out of Onaha's way.

In more ways than one.

He had seen the look she had given him when she had arrived in the medical lab. It was one of those gut-wrenching disappointed and hurt expressions that he was sure only a parent knew just how to deliver.

He had offered no explanation and had used Alex's need for medical attention to skirt round anything Onaha might have had to say about what he had done.

And now he wished she would just yell at him. Her silence was far more painful than an all out shouting session.

"Ow!" Alex grumbled into his neck and squeezed him with her free arm.

John turned and watched in morbid fascination as Onaha continued to carefully dislocate and realign the badly broken fingers. Anaesthesia had been achieved to some degree through the tight grip of a blood pressure cuff and ice-cold lidocaine gel liberally applied over the skin. Onaha had tested the block but the cracking of bones was perhaps a sensation that nothing short of unconsciousness could mask.

Onaha stepped back and admired her handiwork for a moment. She then moved off to find splints and bandages and John watched her somewhat obvious attempts to avoid eye contact with him, his throat becoming tight.

"Is she nearly done?"

John leaned back a little and peered at Alex's pale face. "Yeah, babe."

"Good." Alex sighed, "Cos I think I might throw up."

John frowned and leaned across her to grab a small plastic dish from the other side of the bed. He placed it on the mattress beside her and then resumed their tight embrace.

"So … is this how you spend most of your vacations?"

John couldn't help but smile. He pressed his lips into the soft hair above her forehead and pulled her closer. "Nah … they're usually far more interesting."

Alex laughed gently, "God … I'm going to need a holiday to get over all this."

"I hear ya …"

"Somewhere cold."

"Yeah?"

"Freezing, in fact."

"Skiing?"

Alex laughed, "Hmm, let me see, shall we chance the breakage of more bones? Um … I think not!"

John chuckled in agreement and kissed her again. He was then aware of Onaha rejoining them and caught the disapproving frown that she shot him. And he so wanted to explain, wanted to defend their need to laugh as opposed to the fast approaching alternative.

And it hurt to think that she would not understand. Or if anyone would. About any of this.

* * *

There were many different types of father hugs. There were the brief good morning and have a good day at school hugs, the well done on hitting a home run backslaps, the half hold while reading a book together and the you are so precious and I have to protect you from the world hugs.

This was the latter.

And suddenly Scott was four years old and Jeff held him as if ever letting go would allow the fabric of the universe to split apart.

It was a while before either of them realised that half the Whitehouse staff were watching in interest from the top of the lawn. Not that they cared.

"I think - " Jeff cleared his throat, "I think putting you in harm's way was the worst decision I ever made." He managed hoarsely.

Scott made no reply. Unable to do anything but hang on to his father and fight back tears.

"Come on." Jeff stepped back a little, careful not to break contact but feeling the need to get home. He helped Scott limp up the ramp and into the cargo bay of the gently idling Thunderbird 2.

The greeting from his brothers was perhaps a little subdued but he was grateful for that. Scott hopped along to the small medical area and flopped onto the narrow stretcher. He closed his eyes and allowed himself a moment to collect his thoughts.

Aware of someone waiting nearby, Scott opened his eyes and looked up into his father's somehow much older face.

"Are they - ?"

Jeff nodded. "You did a good job co-ordinating those guys. Brains just needs to hook up the lines to the rescue platform."

And, as if on cue, they heard the cargo bay ramp close and Two began to lift from the ground.

Jeff perched on the edge of the bed. "It'll be a slow journey with the weight of One and the doors open." He offered and then smiled thinly. "And we need to go the long way round to avoid attracting attention."

Scott nodded slowly, "But we've got an escort, right?"

"Yup."

"Good."

"Seems you made quite an impression on the President."

Scott shrugged, "Maybe not quite with the entrance I would have liked …"

Jeff reached out and placed a hand on Scott's shoulder. "But a good move. Thank you."

Scott searched his father's tired face for a moment. "You sure? I mean … I totalled her."

"She's fixable."

"And _will_ you?"

Jeff made no reply.

"I guess it's too early to think about it now."

Jeff was quiet in his thoughts as he studied his hands and then turned back to his son. "You know, Scott, if I'm honest with myself … it was over months ago - the moment the Hood breached our security."

"No, Dad, don't say that!" Scott gasped, tears brimming. "We can move past this. Can't we? And surely it's good to have so many more allies now. The Hood doesn't stand a chance with so many people looking for him."

"Yeah." Jeff's face then darkened and he took a deep breath. "But … speaking of the devil … I need to give Penny a heads up and get our people on his case as well." He stood slowly. "Will you be okay?"

"Yeah." Scott sank back against the pillows. "Unless you need me?" He added quickly.

Jeff laughed softly, "I think you've done enough for one day!" It came out wrong and he was worried for a second but then a glimpse of Scott's usual dry humour sparkled in a small grin and Jeff smiled back before heading up to the flight deck.

* * *

The smell of cleaning fluids was even worse up here. And he shuddered slightly as he realised why.

Not that what had occurred bothered him. More that his friends had cleaned it all up; he had been quite prepared to do so himself. But then he supposed it was a little off putting to have her lying there while you're trying to bring standard operations back online.

And that was what Penny now seemed to be doing. John paused midway along the corridor that led to the office and listened to her talking to his father. He heard her report that all was well island side, short of a few systems still being down. John wondered if she was including him in that statement.

He waited there as the conversation continued. It was hard to hear what his father was saying but Penny's replies outlined enough of the problem. And the scale of it seemed overwhelming.

John stepped back and fell against the cool wall, his head spinning as he took it all in. So International Rescue's secret identity was no longer secret and the Hood really had survived Kazakhstan and had made a move. All in all it was becoming one hell of a day.

"John?"

John was startled by the low whisper and spun to see Alex watching him in concern. "Hey …" he hurried over to her, "I thought those painkillers would have floored you."

Alex glanced down at her splinted hand in its high sling and shrugged slightly. "Maybe a sedative would have more luck but …" She looked back up at him, her face sombre, "After all that's happened …"

"Hmm …"

Alex glanced along the corridor towards the office. "What's going on?"

John sighed and relayed as much of the conversation as he had heard.

"Oh." Alex offered, "It gets better then."

John couldn't help but smile at their matched dry wit.

Alex watched him for a moment. "What will happen?" She watched his smile fade; he knew what she meant.

"I don't know."

"We could lie." Alex urged, "Tell everyone it was self-defence."

John laughed gently, "I don't think even that would win the old man over … and as for the others …" he shook his head and turned back towards the office. "Not that I'd blame them …"

"She's dead anyway, though."

John looked back at her.

"Supposedly killed soon after the Hood's botched transfer. Or so her file says." Alex shrugged, "That's why Pen couldn't find her at first."

John was studying her in interest and then a frown shadowed his tired eyes. "What are you not telling me, Al?"

Alex nodded and stepped closer to him, reaching out to place her free hand on his arm. "Look, it wasn't important before but … now …"

"Who did you call at MI5?"

Alex smiled thinly, she should have known that nothing would get past his keen mind – whether it was fully functional or not. "My uncle."

The frown lifted and surprise replaced it.

"Henry. Henry Shaw."

And John laughed suddenly. "Wo! You're kidding!"

Alex shook her head and watched him in interest. There was delight when she had expected disappointment and he seemed to be mulling this new piece of information over with relish. And somewhere deep down she knew what he was thinking.

But the smile faded and he groaned as he stepped closer to her. He carefully enveloped her and pressed a kiss into her hair. "Al … I think I know what I have to do."

Alex nodded slowly. She had seen it in his face after he had killed Mishka. And she also knew what he would need to do.

* * *

Penny closed the comm. channel and sat back into the chair with a sigh. It was all so close to over that she could almost taste it. They could close this chapter and move on. Where to she wasn't entirely sure but she had faith that Jeff would find a way.

The thought of being able to hold him brought tears to her eyes and she found herself wondering just how she had managed to convince herself for so long that he was simply a friend.

Thunderbird Two was eighty-five minutes out and she found herself experiencing mixed emotions. To have them home would be wonderful. To have them know what John had done would not. Perhaps that little piece of news could wait. Let them settle and recuperate first. Hell, even wait till someone went for ice cream and found what was stored beside the Ben & Jerry's.

But it had to come from John. There was no way she was telling on him or even beginning to try and explain it all. That was up to him. If he could.

Penny closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She didn't see the flicker of interference that crossed the screen in front of her and never noticed the brief interruption in the island systems. The first she knew that something had happened was the roar of the company jet as it left the main runway.

Out of her seat in an instant and hurrying towards the window, Penny watched in confusion and fear as the small craft climbed away from the island and was gone.

_Tbc …_


	18. Chapter 18

Thunderbird Two made a slow, gentle approach to the landing strip and carefully lowered her suspended cargo onto the waiting wagon. The cables slackened and the wreck that was once the proud flagship of the organisation lolled to one side and came to a rest on the long metal gurney.

The cables dropped and Two edged back along the runway to set down beside the wagon, allowing clear access for One to be towed inside for repairs. Jeff was certain that Brains had already begun mentally planning where to start and the supplies he needed to gather. He smiled warmly at his friend as Brains hurried aft and headed down the ramp towards the wagon carrying One.

"Home." Virgil mumbled softly, shutting down Two's systems and climbing from his seat.

"Thank God." Alan agreed.

Gordon yawned and stretched his arms above his head. "Man, my bed is going to feel so good right now."

"Not the pool?" Alan queried.

"Well … perhaps." Gordon shrugged and followed his brothers off of the flight deck.

Jeff sat for a moment in the quietness and closed his eyes. Home, maybe. Safe was something yet to be worked on.

"You alright?"

Jeff turned and saw Penny stepping onto the flight deck. He smiled and swivelled in his chair to face her. Holding out his arms, he sighed in relief as she hurried forward and climbed onto his lap. Neither of them spoke for a long while. They made the most of the awkward balancing position and held each other tightly.

Penny was loath to break the moment but necessity won over her needs and she sat back to look down at Jeff's tired face.

Jeff saw it in her eyes immediately and frowned up at her. "What …?"

"John." Penny began.

* * *

Scott leaned on the high back of the office chair and took his weight off of his injured leg. Onaha had repaired the damage but doing so had caused the wound to sting and it seemed nothing could soothe it. But then it was a welcome distraction right at that moment.

Jeff stood from the chair and crossed to the window. He reached out and traced his forefinger round the edge of the small hole in the glass. Funny that they had never thought of using bulletproof glass, he mused . But then they had never deemed it necessary; the shielding closed to protect the office from launch exhaust and that was all that had ever been needed.

"Is he ever coming back?"

Jeff stepped back and could make out the reflection of his gathered family in the office behind him. He turned and offered a shrug in reply to Alan's quiet question. He then let his eyes wander among the faces that watched him in confusion and sadness.

"I should have been here!" Scott shouted suddenly slamming his fist into the back of the chair. "I could have stopped him!"

"I know how you feel." Jeff offered carefully, "But it doesn't change what has happened."

"I just can't believe it." Gordon muttered.

"I can." Came Virgil's angry retort.

"You shut up!" Alan spat in fury.

"Hey. Hey." Jeff hurried over to them and smiled thinly. "Getting at each other won't help." He stepped closer to them and nodded slowly. "We'll sort this. Somehow."

The three of them regarded him in doubt but then relented and were seemingly so tired that any hope was welcome right then.

"Go and get changed and have some food. We'll talk again later."

They were about to protest but today was not the day to be difficult. With a nod they followed each other from the office.

"He's right."

Jeff turned back to see Scott's sombre face.

"The warning signs were there." Scott continued. "We should have seen this coming."

And Jeff laughed, "What? That your trusted friend who helped rescue you from that God-awful place was not CIA? Or that she was a psycho-freak no better than Trangh himself? Or that your brother is capable of murder?"

Scott flinched at that last word.

"Well?" Jeff demanded, "Which part should we have seen?"

"Dad …" Scott sighed, "I'm sorry …"

Jeff groaned and hung his head. "Oh, listen to me … and I've just warned your brothers not to get at each other. " He looked up and shook his head. "I didn't mean it, Scott."

Scott nodded.

"I just …" He had run out of words and made his way back round the desk to fall into his chair.

Scott reached over and placed his hand on his father's shoulder, tears gathering as he felt the tight squeeze of his fingers in return.

And Penny entered the office. She closed her phone and shook her head. "They found the jet at Dulles but no sign of either of them." She continued forward to stand opposite the desk and sighed heavily. "And my laptop is nowhere to be found."

"God …" Jeff groaned and closed his eyes.

"Dulles …?" Scott mulled the name over for a moment and then gasped. "He's gone after him! Hasn't he. He's actually gone after him!"

Penny nodded slowly. "I really didn't know what to think but … I just found this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper.

Scott limped his way round to her and took the paper from her warily. He opened the once folded note and saw the handwriting, a groan of dismay escaping.

Jeff looked up and frowned at Penny. "Do I want to know …?"

Scott read the first line and closed his eyes. "God, John, you fool! You damned stupid fool!" He waved the letter at Jeff and his face reddened with anger. "Why? Why is he doing this to us? We could help him, for fuck's sake! Why can't he see that?"

Penny reached out and placed her hand on Scott's arm. He leaned into her touch and fell against her as the first sob broke through his defences.

Jeff stood slowly and walked towards them. He placed his arm around Scott and met Penny's gaze, his view misted by tears. With a trembling hand he pulled the letter from Scott's grasp and looked down at the neat script.

_Dad,_

_I know you must have many questions. I'm sorry that I can't begin to give you any __answers. But I have found a way to look for some._

_Our family will never be safe until those who would do us harm are no longer a threat. __I hope one day you will understand._

_John_

Penny watched the sorrow fill Jeff's face and held Scott as he wept quietly into her shoulder. It seemed a long while before anything more was said. Not that perhaps there was anything to say.

"It wasn't John."

Scott leaned back from Penny and Jeff watched her in concern.

"The person I saw … the man that did this …" She gestured around them and they knew what she meant. "It wasn't him."

"You mean," Scott sniffed and frowned down at her. "What do you mean?"

"I think he needs to be left alone." Penny continued, "I think we need to let him do this."

Jeff nodded slowly.

"Not that we really have much choice," Penny added, "With his knowledge of IR …" She sighed, "Well, let's say I have no doubt of just how well he can disappear …"

Jeff considered this for a moment. "But … 'disappearing' …" He held up the note, "That doesn't seem to be his plan."

"Plan?" Scott scoffed, "He's in no state to be _planning_ anything!"

"He's got Alex with him." Penny offered.

Scott gave her a pointed look.

Jeff saw the brief understanding that passed between them. "What …?"

Penny turned to Jeff and managed a small smile. "Nothing."

Jeff looked to Scott and raised his eyebrows.

"She was … well … she kept stuff from us." Scott answered carefully.

"Stuff?" Jeff urged.

Penny sighed and shook her head, "Look, it's perfectly understandable. She saw the way things were and how unstable our little world here was becoming. She did not want to chance making things worse."

Jeff laughed briefly, "Worse! How could they possibly be worse?"

"No," Penny groaned, "I mean before … when …" She looked into Jeff's tired eyes and shrugged slightly, "Alex has contacts at MI5. _Close_ contacts."

Jeff absorbed this and looked down at the letter in his tight grasp. "How long have you known this?"

Penny could almost read his thoughts and stepped closer, closing her slender fingers around his fist. "Not long." She shook her head slowly. "Not long enough for it to have made any difference until now."

Jeff lifted his head and searched her face, his frown deepening.

"If I know anything, it's how the espionage world works Jeff. She couldn't have made contact before and she had no reason to." She saw Jeff about to protest and shook her head, "She could not risk blowing the cover of a family member"

Scott and Jeff both gasped together.

"I know." Penny nodded slowly, "It was a surprise."

"When did she tell you?" Jeff frowned.

"She didn't tell _me … _" Penny pointed to one of the cameras nestled high in the corner of the ceiling, "And John could easily have disabled the cameras or destroyed the recording." She nodded towards Jeff's desk and the computer terminal there on. "I think he wanted me to see. He knew I would understand."

"Glad someone does." Scott grated.

Penny closed her eyes and shook her head. "He wanted me to know so I could tell you." She pointed to the letter in Jeff's hand. "He put this where _I_ would find it. He took my laptop knowing I would not be angry."

Jeff shook his head in confusion.

"I was here, Jeff. I saw how much pain he is in." Penny looked up at them both and smiled thinly, "And as much as I hate to admit it, he has me pretty much figured out. He knew that – no matter what – I would protect him, defend him."

"But - " Jeff stepped back from her a little. "He's gone …"

Penny's smile faded a little, "And no one understands the meaning of that quite like I do … except Alex. "

"That's all well and good," Scott husked, "But it doesn't change the fact that he's out there."

"Not alone though." Penny countered.

"Oh, Alex is hardly - "

"Not Alex. Me. Us. IR." Penny crossed to the desk and looked down at the idling screen. "We can help him. "

"You can trace him?" Scott urged eagerly.

"Maybe." She frowned in thought. "But I won't." She looked back at the weary confusion on their faces. "He's trusting me not to. But I will leave all the channels open and keep the links in place … not to actively seek him but to help him." She smiled, "Besides, he's too smart to leave a trail."

Jeff nodded slowly, "I agree."

"What? No!" Scott stared at them both in horror. "You can't be serious! He's gonna get himself killed!"

Penny shook her head slowly and then shuddered, suddenly wondering if John's newfound talent was a good thing or a bad thing.

"We have to trust him." Jeff agreed quietly.

"Yeah!" Scott scoffed, "Cos his decision making has been bang on so far!"

"Scott …" Jeff placed a hand on Scott's arm and smiled thinly.

Scott shook his head in disbelief. "No …"

"It's his choice." Jeff soothed. He turned to Penny and saw the painful memories she was yet to expand on move across her face.

And he wondered if he really wanted to know exactly what had happened.

Ever.

"We have to let him do this."

Penny nodded slowly, tears gathering, "Or we will never get him back."

FIN


	19. Epilogue

_Adult themes contained within this, the end of one journey ..._

* * *

The small suburb was quiet and still. The dull orange glow of occasional street lamps picked out empty front drives and cast long shadows along the neatly trimmed lawns.

It looked like average middle class America. Nothing fancy. Nothing unusual. The same as a thousand other streets in a thousand other towns.

And it begged the question of what the neighbours would think if they knew that behind one of these doors was a dangerous gang member.

Okay, so Terry Rawlings of 1121 Jefferson Avenue was not himself a dangerous man. He was a faithful husband and the proud father of two daughters and another one on the way. He paid his taxes, washed his MPV every Sunday and co-funded the local baseball team.

Average, middle class American. Nothing fancy. Nothing unusual.

Except last week he had received a visit from someone he would have described to his friends as somewhat strange and mysterious, had he not been warned to speak of it to no one.

The man had had an odd accent and nervous manner and had wanted details about one of his former employees. Terry worked at the local news station, a subsidiary of IWN that broadcast the latest comings and goings of the small suburban community. Nothing more than knitting bees and coffee mornings. Boring, in fact. At least, that was what Terry's friend and former colleague had said of the daily magazine show when he had left to pursue greater things.

Terry had understood. He had no great ambitions of his own but he could understand his young friends keen desire to move up in the world. And he knew his cousin who worked up at the main hub of the news network in Washington was looking for a new cameraman.

And a short while later, Terry had been very proud of his friend when he had watched the live feed coming in from an amazing rescue operation in Costa Rica and knew that the infamous Lisa Lowe was talking into Anthony's camera. He had told his wife as much and she had been suitably impressed. He had bragged to colleagues at the station and had even been called long-distance from a delighted Anthony, thanking him for creating the amazing opportunity.

He had had no idea that in helping his friend he had put him in harm's way. He had no clue that the strange foreign man had been seeking Anthony's home. And Terry was blissfully unaware of the tragic car accident that had almost killed Anthony's girlfriend. No one did. Anthony had been warned not to tell anyone or next time she would certainly die.

And so it was of great surprise to Terry when he was awoken by the sound of gaffer tape being stripped from its roll. And the first he knew of the people that had broken into his house was the tape being forced over his mouth and bound about his hands.

A torch was switched on and he gasped (or tried to) as he saw in the beam his wife lying beside him, similarly bound and a gun at her forehead.

Two photographs were then held in front of his face and the torch shone at them to highlight the pictures. Terry stared in wide-eyed shock at the familiar face in one of the images and it seemed that this was all that the intruders needed.

Well, not quite.

"Name."

Terry shook his head in confusion: His name? His wife's name? Whose name?

The photograph was tapped and the gun at his wife's head cocked.

Terry shook his head more vehemently and shrugged as much as his bound hands would allow. The man had given no name. And Terry had thought nothing of it. Until now.

He watched as the two intruders nodded to one another and left as quickly as they had entered.

Terry lay still in the darkness for a long moment, too terrified to move. Then the soft crying of his wife pulled him from his stupor and he rolled towards her, freed her hands and let her trembling fingers return the favour. Together they rushed into the hall, checked on their unharmed, peacefully sleeping children and then returned to their bedroom, huddled together in fear.

* * *

In the shadows behind the high garden hedge, the two intruders had paused. Leaping over the fence had proved difficult and stopping long enough to catch his breath had given John time to think about what they had just done. And that was a mistake.

Alex turned back at the end of the alley and saw him. She trotted back and pulled off her ski mask, the cool night air washing over her hot face, her skin then pulling into a frown as she knelt down beside him. John had sunk to the ground and was crouched against the fence, chest heaving and hands shaking as he stared at the gun in his tight grip.

"Don't." Alex offered quietly.

John shook his head and closed his eyes. "This is wrong."

"No." Alex nudged his shoulder and he looked up at her through the ominous slits in the black woollen mask. She held up the photograph Terry had picked out and groaned softly. "What _this_ man did is wrong. What we have done is necessary."

"But - " John nodded to the house behind them and again shook his head.

"I know." Alex placed her hand on his shoulder and could feel him trembling beneath the thick black jumper. "I know."

John let his head fall into his hands and let out a sigh to try and steady his rapid breathing.

"We have a good lead now." Alex offered softly, "We need to find out who this guy is." She looked down at the photograph of the middle-aged, Eastern-European-looking man and frowned in thought. "Wherever he is … Trangh won't be far."

John laughed suddenly, "Oh, Al, there's no way in _hell_ that it's gonna be _that_ easy!"

"Maybe …" Alex smiled thinly, "But it's still a good lead."

John shrugged and looked down at the photograph. "I hope so."

Alex watched him in concern and then gently took hold of his arm to help him to his feet. She slipped her arm about his waist and led him back along the outer edge of the garden and towards their waiting car.

There was no movement in the quiet cul-de-sac. They waited for a moment to let the gentle thud of car doors closing ebb into the night. And still nothing. Deciding to chance using the canopy that the row of trees and the 'nothing happens here' provided, Alex opened the laptop and blinked in the semi-brightness of the dulled screen.

"This guy is the third person to recognise our friend here." She began idly, nodding to the photograph on John's lap and the identical image that she called onto the screen. "I'm guessing he's a key player."

John pulled off his ski mask and took a deep breath, frowning as he peered at the image. "Still no match?"

Alex shook her head and then gave a wry smile. "Which can only conclude he's high up there in the pecking order."

John nodded slowly, "Trangh will have learned from his previous errors and no doubt wiped clean all the slates of the key players."

"Like Mishka." Alex agreed.

John shuddered and closed his eyes.

Alex felt the air in the car somehow become chill and she turned to see him battling the onset of another flashback. She chanced a gentle touch of his shoulder and held her breath, recalling all too well the last time she had made contact during one of John's 'episodes'.

John took a deep breath and seemed to be forcing the nauseating memory back into the far reaches of his thoughts.

Silences like these were becoming more awkward and the uncertainty of it all too worrying. There would be a point when nothing would keep the trauma at bay and Alex could not help but dread what might then occur. She preferred the open, active anger of his sudden outbursts to this. The quiet was unsettling. And the inevitable damage from fighting the need to react was disconcerting.

And suddenly she felt so completely out of her depth and wondering how the hell she had ever agreed that this was a good idea. There was only so much she could pull him back from. And she had seen what his temper could do.

But temper was healthy. Shouting seemed good. This noiseless calm was unnatural.

"Okay …" John sighed a signal that he had pressed reset and was now back on track, back with her.

Sort of.

Alex turned back to the laptop. "We need someone who can give us a name."

John nodded in agreement.

"We need Anthony."

John frowned. "He's in FBI custody."

"Mmm."

John considered this for a moment. "So we need a back street contact. I.D.s."

Alex nodded.

"Right …" John sighed and held out his hands, taking the laptop from Alex and frowning in thought. "Here's hoping there's someone in the local area …"

Alex watched him working on breaking into the encrypted files and then looked up into what she could see of his focused face. He looked so different, so eroded. The brunette dye had been her idea, as a way of removing the white trademark and the issue of instant recognisability. It made his face darker, his eyes clearer. It would have been a good look were it not for the pain that was somehow intensified.

"New York."

Alex was pulled from her musing and glanced back at the laptop.

"Penny's closest guy is in Manhattan." John noted the address and phone number, submitting the data to memory and again marvelling at the irony that made genius and crime the perfect partners.

"Do we shoot up there and use him to create a clear entry path? Or find another way?"

John turned to her and considered the choices for a moment. The 'find another way' option was becoming increasingly more violent. And violence increasingly more easy.

"New York." Alex submitted quietly.

John looked back at the file and nodded slowly.

Alex leaned across him and frowned at the dashboard display. "We'll need fuel." She sat back in her seat and arched her back, delving into the pocket of her dark jeans. The fistful of cash seemed sufficient and she sighed in relief.

"I hate this." John muttered suddenly.

Alex turned to watch him warily.

John closed his eyes. "I hate all of this."

"I know …" Alex turned in her seat as far as she could and reached up to touch his face. Long stubble caught on her fingers as she stroked his cheek and he sighed as he leaned into her touch. "Say the word and it ends …"

John smiled and a short laugh croaked forth. "It's too late for that."

"Yup," Alex declared suddenly, "In fact, we are in some pretty deep poo."

John laughed loudly, "Hell, yeah!" He turned to see Alex suddenly grinning up at him, glad for the reprieve that merriment offered. But there was no hiding the fear and sorrow in her eyes. "But it can't be all that bad … not if you're with me."

Alex's grin grew and she mimed sticking her fingers down her throat.

John rolled his eyes and sat back from her. "Okay, no more soppy stuff."

"Good. We are hardened criminals, after all." Alex chuckled, "Even though only one of us actually _looks_ like one."

John stuck his tongue out at her and then turned back to the laptop.

Alex glanced at the clock and frowned in thought. "We should go. While it's still dark."

John considered this for a moment.

"Not that you really have a stealth mode." Alex added merrily.

"What the hell does that mean?"

Alex shrugged, her grin returning.

"I have been quiet and sneaky." John defended, "That I'm not a pro like you is perhaps a good thing."

Alex gasped, "Police training and nothing more, I'll have you know!"

"Yeah … I'll bet."

"Hey!"

"I know, I know – I'm kidding." John giggled happily, "Your suspect 'previous experience' has proven most beneficial."

"As has your geeky computer nerdiness."

John grinned in delight and nodded in acknowledgement of the stale mate. He closed the laptop and passed it to her before then starting the car. "But …" He took the car out of gear and turned to her, a sudden thought creasing his brow. "Not for the last target … quiet and sneaky won't do …"

"Oh no. No way." Alex agreed, her attention taken on snapping her seat belt across her and she chuckled as she shook her head. "He is going to see us coming."

John nodded in agreement, his throat tight and tears brimming.

Alex turned to him and now saw the sudden change in his demeanour. "Oh, babe!" She leaned across and took hold of his chin, straining against her seatbelt as she turned his face towards her.

John lowered his head and sank into the awkward embrace.

"It'll be alright." Alex pressed her lips into his forehead. "I promise," She continued, her words murmuring against his skin, "We'll blow that bastard back to hell and everything will be alright."

"Yeah." John husked, "That's what I'm hoping."

"It will."

"What if it's not, Al …? What if we do all this and do get to him and then … what if there's nothing left but this big empty … nothing …"

Alex closed her eyes. "Then I'll shoot us both and we won't have to worry."

John sniggered suddenly, "Thought you said no soppy stuff." He chided and lifted his head to smile down at her.

"That was before."

"Before what?"

Alex studied his face for a moment. "Before I caught a glimpse of the man I used to know and realised just what I'm fighting for."

John held her gaze and swallowed back the sudden rush of further tears. "Yeah … he's in here somewhere."

"Show me."

John frowned as he regarded her and then seemed to understand. He took her face in his hands and kissed her hard, tongue parting her lips and a tight groan signalling just how far this could lead.

And none of it mattered. Not the sleeping residents of the quiet street, not the uncertainty of the world that lay beyond and nothing of what they had done and were prepared to do.

In that moment there was only the two of them. No memories, no fears, no pain. Simply the closeness of their mouths and the promise of hands beginning to wander under black clothes.

And then it was gone.

John leaned back suddenly, breathless and full of the need for the moment to continue but now also acutely aware of their situation and the necessity to flee. He shook his head, tried to ignore Alex's slight groan of disappointment and desire, and slipped the car into gear.

He rolled them slowly through the still neighbourhood and only when they joined the main highway did he chance using speed and switching on the headlights.

They set out for New York in silence, John fixed on the road ahead, Alex deep in thought and neither one knowing quite what to say.

And neither one noticing the patrol car that sped past them in the opposite direction, begrudgingly answering the frightened call of some guy in Jefferson Avenue who had reported a vague story about an armed intruder. Yeah. Like that happened around here.


End file.
